Mexican border states prove deadly for journalists

A recent study conducted by two UA professors examines the violence against journalists that work along the Mexican border. UA School of Journalism assistant professor Jeannine Relly, and associate professor Celeste González de Bustamante, conducted their research in the five border states of Mexico, which connect it to the U.S. The study is called “Silencing Mexico: A Study of Influences on Journalists in the Northern States” and was published by the International Journal of Press/Politics in November. The publication of the study helped draw attention to areas where there is conflict due to organized crime and drug and human trafficking. The evidence found during the research shows that journalists working in the northern states of Mexico ran a much higher risk of death in comparison to journalists who worked in areas away from the border. González de Bustamante said she has been researching the history of the press in Mexico for a long time, and has found there has always been a lack of freedom with the press in Mexico, partly due to business owners of the media. “Fear of either being threatened by the government, government officials or organized crime was part of their daily life, and it is something that they have to deal with on a daily basis,” Gonzalez said. “The thing with organized crime and the connections with corrupt officials [is that] it has really pervaded of all levels of society.”...more