Through crowdfunding campaigns, also known as microfinancing, or participatory financing, a growing number of Latin American digital news media are able to fund much of their journalistic research and projects.
The Latin American Network of Health Journalists arose as a personal initiative led by Fabiola Torres, a journalist of the Peruvian digital media outlet Ojo Público, with the aim of joining journalists interested in covering health issues in Latin America.
In little more than 200 words, journalists from across Latin America are telling the stories of their neighbors in highly descriptive snapshots rarely seen in traditional news stories. This is the project called Somos Nosotros.
At the 15th Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at the United Nations, Anselmo Xunic, president of Asociación Sobrevivencia Cultural in Guatemala, asked the forum to recognize the new Caucus on Alternative Information and Communication of Indigenous Peoples.
Nearly 100 journalists from 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean worked on the global investigation known as the Panama Papers that is making headlines across the world this week.
Joining the ranks of anonymous whistleblower platforms that have emerged around the world in recent years, eight media and nonprofit organizations have launched an online platform enabling Peruvian citizens to leak information to journalists.
Activists and media workers in Guatemala fighting for the passage of a bill to protect the existence of community radio stations in the country are facing resistance from a media broadcasting association.
The Brazilian Ministry of Justice investigated cases of explosions in cars produced in the country after a Brazilian news site produced a report about them. A digital media startup launched in Venezuela, creating a new source of independent information for citizens in that country. In Argentina, a fact-checking organization can keep politicians and other public figures accountable by comparing their statements with reality.
As Rio de Janeiro enters the final stages of preparation for the Summer Olympics, news media from all over the world are trying to understand the city and its contrasts. Inevitably, that includes going inside the favelas that are spread across the city and discussing issues like state violence, resident evictions and racism. But, it also includes exploring the art, music and spirit of people living in the favelas.
Three days before the end of their crowdfunding campaign, Brazilian journalism nonprofit Pública, an investigative organization led by women, met its goal. The campaign “Ocupe A Pública”, launched on Jan. 21, aimed to collect $50,000 Brazilian reals (around US $18,000) to fund 10 stories with themes chosen by reader-collaborators who will also be involved with their production.
“Remember that journalism is a matter too serious to leave only to journalists.” This phrase captures the spirit of the new crowdfunding project from Pública of Brazil.
In a saturated and rapidly evolving digital media landscape, discerning truth from fallacy has proven to be a challenge for readers, especially in the case of government discourse. In response to a growing demand for trustworthy and accurate news, the practice of fact-checking has emerged as a practice that allows journalists to hold public officials accountable for their statements.