Research Reports

01-08-2009

Local Level Journalism and Democracy Indicators in Latin America

The arbitrary use of public advertising is an ever more denounced practice, thus new criteria on the subject is beginning to run over the region, with more transparent policies to change the historical attitude of those who rule the use of public funds.

By Fernando J. Ruiz

THE WORST AREAS TO PRACTICE JOURNALISM IN THE SECOND SEMESTER 2008

Internet is growing as a tool for the defense of freedom of the press.

The arbitrary use of public advertising is an ever more denounced practice, thus new criteria on the subject is beginning to run over the region, with more transparent policies to change the historical attitude of those who rule the use of public funds.

The open and direct confrontation of several governments with the media persists, notwithstanding the different ideologies.

As the main media outlets in a country professionalize their job covering the provinces, it is possible to see a growth in the conflict with the press.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fernando Javier Ruiz

Professor at the Seminars on Journalism and Democracy and on History and Culture of Communications, at the Austral University School of Communications.
Advisor to the Democratic Strengthening Area of the Centre for the Opening and Development of Latin America (CADAL). Ph.D. in Public Communication from the University of Navarra Degree in Political Science from the Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA).

Author of the following books:

-Otra grieta en la pared: Informe y testimonios de la nueva prensa cubana, 2003,(Another crack in the wall: Reports and testimonies of the new Cuban press) CADAL / Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
-Las palabras son acciones: historia política y profesional del diario La Opinión de Jacobo Timerman, (Words are action: Political & professional history of the La Opinión newspaper belonging to Jacobo Timerman), 1971-77, Perfil Libros, Buenos Aires, 2001.
-El señor de los mercados. Ambito Financiero, la City y el poder del periodismo económico,(The master of the markets: Ambito Financiero, the City & the power of the financial press), El Ateneo, Buenos Aires, 2001.

Fernando J. Ruiz

Academic Advisor

Fernando J. Ruiz studied Political Science and earned a PhD in Communication. As a journalist and researcher he traveled and gave courses and conferences in almost all Latin American countries. He was a founding member and president of the Argentine Journalism Forum 2019-2021 and a jury member of the Colpin Award (Latin American Conference of Investigative Journalism). He was a consultant for Voces del Sur, the organization that brings together the region's main journalists' organizations. He is a full time professor and researcher at the School of Communication of Universidad Austral and a member of the National Academy of Journalism. He is the author of the following books: Las palabras son acciones. Historia política y profesional del diario La Opinión de Jacobo Timerman, 1971-1977 ("Words are Actions. Political and Professional History of the Newspaper La Opinión of Jacobo Timerman, 1971-1977") (Perfil, 2001); Otra grieta en la pared: informe y testimonios de la nueva prensa cubana ("Another crack in the Wall: Report and Testimonies of the New Cuban Press") (La Crujía, 2003); El señor de los mercados: historia de Ámbito Financiero, 1976-2001 ("The Lord of the Markets: A History of Ámbito Financiero, 1976-2001") (El Ateneo, 2005); Guerras mediáticas. Las grandes batallas periodísticas desde la Revolución de Mayo hasta la actualidad ("Media Wars. Great Journalistic Battles from the May Revolution to the Present Day") (Sudamericana, 2014); Cazadores de noticias. Doscientos años en la vida cotidiana de los periodistas ("News Hunters. Two Hundred Years in the Daily Life of Journalists") (Ariel, 2018); and Imágenes paganas: periodismo, democracia y pandemia en Argentina y América Latina ("Pagan Images: Journalism, Democracy and Pandemic in Argentina and Latin America") (Cadal/Adenauer, 2021).