BonDia Defends Trafficking Coverage Against Local Leaders' Sensationalism Claims

**BonDia defends its reporting on human trafficking and public services amid criticism from local leaders**

A BonDia editorial has hit back at accusations of sensationalism levelled by La Seu d'Urgell mayor Joan Barrera and Alt Urgell county council president Josefina Lladós, who recently co-signed a letter criticising the outlet's coverage of the town's SIE social integration service privatisation.

The piece, published under the headline "Journalism lessons?", rejects claims of "yellow journalism" in reporting official findings on rising human trafficking for sexual exploitation in the area. It cites a publicly funded report presented locally, questioning whether the issue's gravity lies in its existence or its coverage. "Is it sensationalism to report a train derailment? Or Aznar named in Epstein papers?" the editorial asks, arguing that politicians often decry such stories when they spotlight inconvenient truths.

BonDia demands context from officials on the problem's scale—case numbers and actions taken to curb it. It recounts third-party accounts of an "awkward silence" at the report's launch, when Mossos d'Esquadra representatives urged local authorities to report serious crimes like these for investigation. The editorial probes whether cases of prostitution mafias or workers living rights-free in construction sites are properly escalated.

On verification, it insists journalists must confirm facts—like service privatisations or worker discontent—before airing official responses, dismissing reliance on political statements alone as inadequate. Doors remain open to Barrera and Lladós via their publicly funded press offices to clarify any story.

The response addresses past communication hurdles, noting improved access to Barrera after persistent efforts, contrasted with Lladós's sparse replies, including during a prolonged SAD care workers' dispute. BonDia admits a deliberate slant: prioritising voices of residents, workers and those harmed by administration over those with press teams.

The exchange underscores tensions between local media and Cerdanya-area leaders, with BonDia framing criticism as deflection from accountability on crime and services.