From hope to constant criticism: perceptions about the relationship between the press and political power in Mexico City

Abstract

Between violence and questions about their work, Mexican journalists produce news daily. We don't always pay attention to how they do it or their impressions of it when doing so would enrich our understanding of their profession. Based on 42 in-depth interviews with journalists from Mexico City, this article analyzes how they perceive their relationship with political power. From the Grounded Theory approach, the findings indicate that this link is associated with five items: “hope” for better working conditions under this government; changes in routines derived from this administration's policies; restrictions, such as lack of transparency and censorship; dependence on official advertising that generates uncertainty regarding the need for resources, and discomfort due to the criticism they receive from the government. Results that arise from negotiations with power and that contribute to the growing literature about journalistic work in the current Mexican sociopolitical context.