Book Description

The "overview articles have a welcome clarity and an anchoring in fact and experience often missing in work on Latin American media. To [Fox's] credit, she has selected authors who mostly underplay rhetorical generality for well-told tales about media policy." --The Democratic Communique "This well-written, well-researched book shows the courage of electronic journalists and how they have adjusted to--and often transcended and helped end--censorship and persecution. History comes alive in its retelling by these skillful essayists." --The Times of the Americas "Tightly written and tightly edited, minimally documented, but well researched, this volume breaks new ground and can serve as an advanced undergraduate and graduate textbook, as well as an indispensable reference." --Choice "This collection of essays contributes significantly toward filling the English-language void of information about media policies in Latin America. Fox has done a good job of pulling together diverse media experiences in Latin America, and an excellent distribution of work among scholars from the area. The book will augment readings for Latin Americanists and for others interested in international media." --Journalism Quarterly "Fox and 13 well-known and well-chosen Latin American communicologists document and build a balanced view of what happened to 'the people, the media and the government' in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, and Uruguay' in the fifty or so years of the Latin America media.'" --Journal of Communication "This is a well-researched, well-organized and well-written book of general interest. History comes alive in the skillful writings of these essayists." --MediaDevelopment The relationship between the mass media and political power attracts worldwide and perennial interest. It is a topic that has generated particularly heated debate in Latin America. At times, controversial attempts to enact national communication policies have radically altered the ownership of the media and the content of reporting. At others, the media have been the target of harsh censorship and virulent government repression. Media and Politics in Latin America examines the different forces that have affected the modern mass media in the region. Elizabeth Fox presents a stimulating overview of media policies, including early commercialization and government intervention, the movements for reform, the impact of the dictatorships and the recovery of democracy. Thirteen illuminating studies then trace the major themes through nine countries. Finally, the conclusion assesses the prospects for attaining the democratic goals of social equality and participation in the Latin American media. A comprehensive examination relating universal issues to specific cases in a key region, this volume will be of interest to scholars and professionals in the fields of communication, media studies, and Latin American or Third World studies.