200 professionals cover historic papal visit to Arguineguín
An unprecedented media deployment gathered in Gran Canaria to document the event.
By Jonay Mesa Rodríguez
••3 min read
IA
Generic image of media professionals covering a major event on the Canary Islands coast.
More than 200 communication professionals gathered at the Arguineguín dock, Gran Canaria, to cover the historic papal visit, an event that mobilized media from numerous countries.
The port of Arguineguín became the information hub this Thursday for a papal visit described as historic. A deployment of over 200 journalists, photographers, camera operators, and technicians were accredited to cover the event, considered by many as the biggest journalistic challenge in recent years.
The arrival of communication professionals was staggered. Among them was Eduardo Ramírez, a journalist from Radio Televisión Mogán, who described the event as "historic, something that has never happened and will not happen again for several generations." For him, the pontiff's visit to the dock, which has witnessed so many arrivals by boat, symbolizes "the closing of a cycle."
Later, a bus transported fifty professionals from the San Ignacio de Loyola school in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. After an exhaustive security check and accreditation collection, journalists sought the best vantage points in the stands to capture key moments.
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"It's the event any journalist would want to cover"
Tania Sánchez, from Radio Televisión Canaria, highlighted the uniqueness of the moment, stating that "this is something that we in the media today will not experience again." The journalist recalled her coverage of the Pope's proclamation in Rome, contrasting that experience with the pontiff's visit to her "home."
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"I think people are not aware of what is going to happen here today, this is an unprecedented event, and for those of us who have seen bodies arrive at this port, it is very important that the Pope focuses his visit to Spain on immigration. I hope that from today onwards it will no longer be the port of shame but of hope and life opportunities"
Despite the high temperatures forecast, the heat exceeded expectations. Around 12:15 PM, the last bus arrived with journalists who accompanied the Pope on his trip. The setup of cameras, lenses, and microphones was done with little time to spare before the Holy Father's imminent arrival.
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"After doing between 10 and 20 live reports a day since last Thursday. I don't know how the Pope is enduring so much movement because these have been non-stop days, but the personal and professional satisfaction is immense"
Print, radio, and television media worked intensely to capture every detail. Margarida Neves de Sousa from CNN Portugal shared her fatigue after numerous live reports but emphasized the "immense personal and professional satisfaction." María Gutiérrez from Antena 3 thanked the freedom of movement and felt that "all the effort made had been worth it" with the Pope's entry into the port.
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"an opportunity for her as well as for RTVC, as it is the first time a regional media outlet has managed to get onto the papal flight to narrate everything that happens minute by minute"
Silvia Mascareño, from Radio Televisión Canaria, wore several accreditations that allowed her to follow the entire papal journey. She described the experience as "an opportunity" for her and her outlet, marking the first time a regional television station covered the papal flight.
Despite the effort, heat, and long hours, the 200 communication professionals experienced a moment that reminded them of the importance of working with information and people, an event they will remember for a lifetime.
