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Veteran photographer is killed at home in Colombia

Arsenio Zambrano Ocampo, a well-known independent photographer, died last week after he was stabbed in his home in Ibagué, in Tolima department, the Colombian Federation of Journalists (Fecolper) reports. Citizens and colleagues were shocked by the news, El Tiempo says.

Journalist who blogs from Ciudad Juárez wins prestigious Spanish prize

Spanish journalist Judith Torrea has spent 12 years working as an independent journalist. Last year she created the blog “Ciudad Juárez, en la sombra del narcotráfico” (Ciudad Juárez, in the shadow of narcotrafficking), where she reports on the crimes of drug mafias, stories that traditional media aren't always able to report. For this work, she has won the Ortega y Gasset Prize for Digital Journalism, El País reports. See this recent interview with Torrea in English by Salon.com.

Ecuador's government to sell TV channels seized in 2008

While Chile's president is pressured to sell his stake in a TV channel, Ecuador's Rafael Correa administration ordered the sale of parcels of shares in two TV stations that were seized by the state almost two years ago, El Universo reports.

Former Televisa reporter killed in northern Mexico

María Isabella Cordero, former anchor of the morning news on Televisa, was shot to death Friday night in the city of Chihuahua, while leaving a restaurant parking lot, La Jornada and El Diario report. A friend who was in the car with her was also killed. See EFE's report in English.

Freed Cuban journalist wants to expose human rights violations

Oscar Sánchez Madan was released from prison this week after serving a three-year term for “social dangerousness,” a vague charge he received after covering a local corruption scandal. He tells Radio Martí that he wants to keep writing about current affairs on the island, including Havana’s human rights violations, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports.

Argentines march to apply stalled media law

Representatives of social movements and political and human rights organizations protested in Buenos Aires this week in defense of the broadcast reform law that was passed last October but suspended due to a court ruling in March, La Nación and EFE reported.

Local TV host escapes gun attack in Northeast Brazil

TV host and radio broadcaster Handson Laércio was shot Wednesday, April 14, while leaving his home in Bacabal, Maranhão, to host his program on TV Mearim, the news portal Imirante reports. On entering his car, Laércio was confronted by his attacker and was shot in the hand.

Chile's new president faces pressure to sell TV channel

Only a month after taking office, President Sebastián Piñera faces growing criticism by opponents and allies for not having transferred his ownership of the channel Chilevisión to a nonprofit organization as he promised during his campaign, La Nación and EFE report.

Brazil's Chamber of Deputies approves bill granting access to public information

The Chamber of Deputies approved a bill this week that would make public information accessible to citizens. The text now passes to the Senate.

Chilean journalist Mónica González wins UN Press Freedom Prize

Mónica González Mujica, a veteran journalist whose investigative reporting repeatedly challenged the Pinochet regime, has won a UNESCO prize awarded to those who promote freedom of expression, particularly at the risk of their own lives.

Latin American journalists receive King of Spain prizes

Journalists from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico received the King of Spain International Journalism Prizes sponsored by EFE and Spain's international development agency. The winners, announced in January, received the prizes Tuesday from King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía, in the Casa de América in Madrid.

Venezuela's government trains youth as media "guerrillas"

Venezuela's new minister of communication and information, Tania Díaz, swore in the first 75 "communication guerrillas," members of school youth groups formed to “democratize” information and counterattack “the power of private media." See stories (in Spanish) by El Universal and El Nacional.