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Provincial newspapers and the conditional
Spain has a dense network of provincial and regional newspapers, often more than one per province, and in rural areas they are read closely. A story about a village of thirty-nine people may well appear in the provincial paper, and everyone in the village, and in the next three villages, will read it. Their reporters work under constant pressure and with small staffs, and the better ones do what this reporter does: hear something, then call the people involved to contrastar it before publishing. Not all do. Alex's thanks, gracias por llamar antes de publicar, que no siempre se hace, reflects a common experience. The language of Spanish news has one feature a learner must know to read it correctly: the conditional of rumor, el condicional de rumor. When a newspaper writes el ayuntamiento habría firmado un acuerdo, it is not saying the council signed anything; it is reporting a claim it has not verified. The Real Academia and style guides have long criticized its overuse, because readers often take it as fact, and many newspapers' style books restrict it. It remains everywhere, especially in headlines and in stories built on sources such as fuentes municipales or fuentes cercanas. The practical advice for anyone dealing with the press in Spain is Alex's. Correct the number clearly. Acknowledge a concern before contradicting the rumor attached to it. Do not speak for third parties; offer them the chance to speak for themselves. Agree on how you will be quoted, con nombre y apellido or as fuentes de la consultora. And point the reporter to the person with the authority, here the mayor, who can confirm the facts on the record.