Broadcast Media
Mexico’s No. 1 TV and radio broadcaster, Televisa, is a multimedia company owned by the Azcárraga family. Televisa has become a television monopoly, controlling 70% of the broadcast television market. In addition, by broadcasting several channels through free-to-air services, its coverage reaches almost 95% of Mexican homes, which rely on this mean of communication to inform themselves about the main events going on in Mexico and the world.
In 2010, during the World Climate Summit that took place at the 16th Conference of the Parts (COP16) in Cancún, México, Emilio Azcárraga Jean, current chairman and CEO of the company, declared that Televisa was committed to use its broadcasting hours to transmit environmentally friendly initiatives. He also asserted the crucial role that the media has as an agent to communicate the causes and consequences of climate change. Although great coverage was given at that time due to the location of the Conference and the involvement of several politicians, the presence of climate change has been significantly reduced from Televisa’s main news segments, only to be picked up again during important international events such as the Paris Agreement.
Content Samples:
Currently, ForoTV, one of Televisa’s news outlet, has several programs with information about climate change. One example is the program Foro Global (Global Forum), where journalist Genaro Lozano discusses international news. In the previous month, they covered President Donald Trump’s actions in relation to climate change, as well as a recent declaration from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research about the relationship between climate change related events and armed conflicts.
Main page: http://www.televisa.com/
Forbes profile: http://www.forbes.com/companies/grupo-televisa/
Noticieros televisa: http://noticieros.televisa.com/acerca-de-televisa-news/
Azcárraga’s participation in the World Climate Summit: http://www.televisa.com/noticias-corporativas/232461/televisa-cumbre-climatica/ (Spanish)
http://www.televisa.com/eng/corporate-news/233653/televisa-world-climate-summit/
(English)
Climate change coverage: http://noticieros.televisa.com/?s=cambio+climatico
Alberto Vega’s article: http://noticieros.televisa.com/videos/cambio-climatico-un-asunto-de-seguridad-nacional/
Main page: http://www.televisa.com/
Forbes profile: http://www.forbes.com/companies/grupo-televisa/
Noticieros televisa: http://noticieros.televisa.com/acerca-de-televisa-news/
Azcárraga’s participation in the World Climate Summit: http://www.televisa.com/noticias-corporativas/232461/televisa-cumbre-climatica/ (Spanish)
http://www.televisa.com/eng/corporate-news/233653/televisa-world-climate-summit/
(English)
Climate change coverage: http://noticieros.televisa.com/?s=cambio+climatico
Alberto Vega’s article: http://noticieros.televisa.com/videos/cambio-climatico-un-asunto-de-seguridad-nacional
Contact: Alberto Vega is the reporter in charge of the last story. Email: alberto.vega.acosta@gmail.com
Print Media
Proceso is a weekly print and online magazine of socio-political analysis and opinion. Founded by journalist Julio Scherer García in 1976, Proceso’s open and critical coverage about politicians and the government (contrary to Televisa’s style) has given it a high prestige among the Mexican media. The current director is Rafael Rodríguez Castañeda, with Salvador Corro as editorial assistant.
Although the company that owns the magazine, CISA Comunicación e Información, S.A. de C.V, hasn’t expressed openly about its position towards climate change or the Paris Agreement, the contents of Proceso reflect those of Televisa, with climate change related publications mostly covering international conferences and summits (with a high peak during the COP16 in Cancún), the ratification and entry into force of the Paris Agreement, and declarations by government officials.
Nevertheless, some of the climate change related articles published in the magazine follow its critical and analytical line. For example, in an analysis of the Paris Agreement, contributor Olga Pellicer asks why everyone was not so optimistic during the aftermath of the conference. She presents the success of the Agreement in terms of what was achieved compared to previous years, but also adds the weaknesses in terms of accountability and the clarity of certain mechanisms, while explaining the difficulties of international cooperation.
Content Samples:
Main page: http://www.proceso.com.mx/
History: http://www.proceso.com.mx/historia
Analysis of Proceso’s COP16 coverage: http://docplayer.es/19750592-Universidade-catolica-portuguesa-la-responsabilidad-social-de-los-medios-de-comunicacion-en-la-proteccion-del-medio-ambiente.html
Climate change coverage: http://www.proceso.com.mx/buscar?cx=015816897690063319058%3Ak3acgl6raqy&q=cambio+climatico&cof=FORID%3A11&locale-search=es-MX
Olga Pellicer’s article: http://www.proceso.com.mx/424946/cambio-climatico-irremediable-o-controlado
Contact: Mailing address: Fresas #13 Colonia del Valle , Mexico City, Mexico. 03100.
Online editor: Alejandro Caballero, Email: acaballero@proceso.com.mx, Tel: +52 (55) 5636-2010
Online Media
Animal Politico is an all online political news site that started in 2010. It was created by several journalists under the publishing house Editorial Animal. As an independent journalism initiative, they rely on investors that, as of today, haven’t showed any ties with political parties, such as Elephant Publishing, a Miami-based company. Moreover, they also rely in crowdsourcing campaigns to support their activities. Daniel Moreno is the general manager of the news site, with Mael Vallejo as an editorial director.
Unlike the previous two entries, Animal Politico lists environmental issues as one of the main topics they strive to cover. This is reflected on the publication of a broader coverage of climate change related articles, although in general the main pieces resemble the approach of Televisa and Proceso. As an example of the variety that Animal Politico offers, recently they published a more light-hearted article about the psychological effects that climate change researchers might develop, like depression, addictions or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, as a result of encountering incredulity and lack of response from the public. The note ends arguing that rather than promoting depression or inaction, their goal is to create awareness and a call to the government to propose responses that address climate change.
Content Samples:
Main page: http://www.animalpolitico.com/
About: www.animalpolitico.com/quienes-somos/
Rise of online journalism in Mexico: http://www.niemanlab.org/2012/06/how-online-journalisms-shaken-up-political-coverage-in-mexico/
Climate change coverage: http://www.animalpolitico.com/?s=cambio+clim%C3%A1tico
Claudia Godoy’s article: http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/02/investigadores-padecen-traumas-psicologicos-estudiar-cambio-climatico/
Contact: Email: info@animalpolitico.com, Tel: +52 (55) 5207-1407
Claudia Godoy, reporter of the last article: claudia@clicknecesario.com