During the first thirty years of the Francoist dictatorship, the press was subjected to severe previous censorship. Spanish newspaper journalists tended to disguise whatever real news. All that started to change with the arrival of democracy and, more specifically, with the launching of a new national daily, El País, in 1976. When it first appeared, El País came as a refreshing alternative to the leading daily of the time, the conservative ABC (established in 1905). The Spanish Constitution in 1978 recognizes and protects freedom of expression in its Article 20.

Readership of newspapers in Spain has traditionally been among the lowest in Europe. This was not because Spaniards were uninterested in news, but because Spanish newspapers have generally been boring and expensive. Most Spaniards still see radio as a more reliable and entertaining source of information.

Though renowned for slow delivery the Correo or Spanish post office vastly improved over the past years. Post offices (Oficinas de Correos) are generally found near the centre of towns and are normally open from 8am to noon and again from 5 to 7.30pm, though big branches in large cities may have considerably longer hours and usually do not close at midday.

The telephone system in Spain is dominated by the formerly state-owned Telefónica. The international access code for Spain is +34. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Public telephones are either coin or card (tarjetas telefónicas) operated. Telephone cards can be purchased in post offices, newsagents and kiosks or tobacco stores (estancos) that have the sign Tabacos outside.

Phones

The internet

Media