Radio and Television stations’ mix of news and opinions can be described as either statewide or national. This distinction reflects both the physical limits of their broadcast as well as their selective news focus. As we have discussed, the distinct characteristics of the programming makes the audience’s choice a daily ritual that actively reinforces the individual’s definition of his or her imagined geoethnic community. Among national radio stations, however, a further distinction can be made, Basque national and national activist. This distinction among radio stations is also observed in Newspapers.

As with talk radio, newspapers, by definition, are primarily about news and opinions. Aside from national or regional news events surrounding policy which are likely to be covered other news media, education and language issues enter the newspapers via the province or local town sections. This attention to local town news sets newspapers apart as a media from radio and television. Newspapers become not only a source of national news but also a means for individuals to be up to date with town news. Unlike the other forms of mass media, language and education are covered in various sections of the newspaper on a more regular basis. Some of these articles are in these sections prepared by towns themselves, serving as a portrait of issues relevant to the town. This "portrait" reflects both voices of residents and their organizations as well as information that the municipal government wants to share with the general public.

Throughout a two year period, I regularly reviewed and compared the major newspapers: El Mundo Vasco, El Diario Vasco, Egin and ocasionally: DEIA and  Egunkaria. In a random sampling of 40 days issues from all major newspapers were analyzed to document trends and habits.  The analyisis revealed among other things the a higher percentage of 
articles on Language than Education in local news section. This is not a coincidence but further evidence to the
dichotomy between national and local, which can also be expressed as:

With the exception of articles regarding Ikastola
Activities, Education was mostly treated at the national and state
level. Language policy is at times discussed alongside education in the national or
state sections. The majority of language articles are found however
in local interest sections. An example of such articles is a town press releases
regarding special language related initiatives or events. When looked
on average, the number of education and language related news
stories that were presented via local sections was greater than that
printed in the state section. These statistics result in two
perceptions that once again fall between the lines of Spanish identity
vs. Basque identity. Basques will focus on the perceived distance
of the State policy on Education, reinforcing the notion of
Education being crafted and imposed from above, of non-inclusion on
behalf of the population in the process of change. At the same time,
coverage statistics result in the impression that at a local
and immediate level the emphasis in language policy is such that it
permeates and dictates changes in education.