Euskadi has lost this Thursday one of its most influential voices in the field of culture and communication. The professor, essayist and analyst Ramón Zallo has passed away this Monday at 77 years old, after a long career marked by teaching, research and commitment to critical thinking.
Key figure in the development of communication studies in Spain, Zallo was for decades a professor at the University of the Basque Country, where he contributed to training generations of professionals and academics in the audiovisual field.
A pioneer in the analysis of cultural industries
Born in Gernika-Lumo in 1948, Zallo stood out for being one of the first researchers to structurally approach the study of cultural and communication industries, a field that today is central in contemporary political and economic analysis.
Degree in Law and Economics and doctor in Information Sciences, he began his teaching career even before the formal creation of the Basque university. His work focused especially on audiovisual communication, from where he developed a critical view on the role of the media in society.
An intellectual work of reference
Author of more than a dozen books and numerous articles, his intellectual production addressed issues such as the economy of culture, public policies, or the evolution of the media system.
His latest work, Rearview Mirror and Scalpel (2025), synthesizes a good part of his thought: a critical review of the last six decades from an analytical and personal perspective, in which he combines theoretical reflection and vital experience.
Influence in the Basque cultural policy
Beyond the academic sphere, Zallo played a relevant role in shaping cultural policies in Euskadi. He was advisor to the Basque Government on culture and communication and actively participated in key initiatives such as the Basque Culture Plan or the promotion of the Basque Culture Observatory.
Its contribution also extended to the regulatory development of the audiovisual sector, consolidating an approach that linked culture, economy and democracy.
In November 2025, he/she received the honorary award from the Basque Association of Journalists and the Basque College of Journalists, in recognition of a career marked by intellectual rigor and public vocation.
His passing leaves a void in Basque critical thought, but also a lasting legacy in the analysis of culture and media. The farewell to Ramón Zallo will take place on Tuesday in Gernika-Lumo, the town where he was born and to which he remained linked throughout his life.