Media Pluralism

The information about the media owners, managers and editors is scarce and in numerous occasions confusing, contradictory or nonexistent. Most of the media websites do not publish clearly who their shareholders are and what the specific responsibility of the manager is.

Between 2013 and 2016, the Mexican government spent 2 billion US dollars in promoting its image through mass media. The television sector received 35% of these resources, followed by the radio with 19%, the printed media with 17% and the online media with 6%.

In Mexico, regardless of the large quantity of traditional media outlets, such as journals, radio stations, free-to-air and pay TV channels, it is very common to have same or similar coverage for the same event, and almost always it is favorable for the ruling government.

In Mexico, the media power goes hand in hand with the political power. The MOM Mexico study of 42 most influential media found that in 95% of the cases, the owners have family or business relationships with well-known politicians.

At the end of 2018, Reports Without Borders issued its annual report on aggressions against journalists and concluded that with nine journalists murdered in 2018, without going through a war, Mexico is the most lethal country for reporters.

One of the principle objectives of the new legal framework in Mexico was to decrease the levels of excessive ownership concentration in the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors. However, the law seems to fail to turn its intention into reality.