Private news enterprises have weathered a long history of crippling attacks from the Venezuelan government. Some media owners are now giving up and selling their properties.
Venezuelan newspaper El Universal declared itself in a state of emergency on Monday May 5 due to a lack of newsprint, saying their current inventory would allow them to publish for two more weeks at the most, according to a statement by the paper. El Universal will need to cut down its print edition to two sections of eight pages each, with the rest of the content published online.
Journalism is still one of the lowest salaried jobs in Mexico, according to data from the 2013 Mexican National Occupation and Employment Survey.
What is renowned journalist Giannina Segnini going to do after leaving Costa Rican newspaper La Nación?
Top investigative journalist Giannina Segnini has resigned from Costa Rican newspaper La Nación, where she worked for 20 years. According to The Tico Times, Segnini departed shortly after the Feb. 2 presidential elections in protest of the paper’s election coverage and its decision not to publish an election poll by the firm UNIMER.
Following the closure of a dozen Venezuelan newspapers due to the country’s paper shortage crisis, hundreds of journalists and journalism students marched down the streets of Caracas on Jan. 28 calling the government to sell foreign currencies to print media outlets so they can purchase much-needed newsprint. The journalists said they will continue to protest until the government resolves the situation, newspaper El Nacional reported.
Since 2003, a currency exchange system in Venezuela has prevented businesses from importing certain products without first purchasing foreign currencies provided by the state. In 2012, newsprint, which is not produced in the country, was listed as not being a priority item, forcing newspapers to file requests with the government for foreign currencies in order to import it.
In July last year, opposition leader, former legislator and former presidential candidate Martha Roldós visited Washington D.C. to talk with possible financial backers about a new news agency she wants to create.
After the purchase of more than half of editorial group Epensa's shares, which gave Grupo El Comercio control over almost 80 percent of the newspaper market in Peru, the topic of media concentration has become ubiquitous -- and volatile -- in the country. It dominates the public debate with virtually a new article or opinion piece every day, and last week, the opposing sides of the debate over the potential negative effects of the transaction were illustrated by the disagreement between award-winning Peruvian writer and former presidential candidate Mario Vargas Llosa and his son Álvaro.
The Forum for Argentine Journalism (FOPEA) condemned last week a string of massive layoffs in media outlets that have taken place all throughout December and January. The outlets have argued the layoffs are part of internal reorganizations but FOPEA cited possible political retaliation as a motive prompting some of the decisions.
After a heated debate during the 69th General Assembly of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) over Peruvian media conglomerate Grupo El Comercio's recent purchase of more than half of the shares of publishing group Epensa, media firm La República announced it will file a lawsuit against its competitor for monopolistic practices.
The Argentine Supreme Court declared today the country’s controversial media law constitutional, dealing the final blow to media conglomerate Clarín’s attempts to resist complying with the legislation, newspaper La Nación reported.