Press and Civil Society: Alliance and Mistrust in Mexican Transition

Journalism and civil society are two fundamental actors in processes of democratic transition. Twenty years after the first alternation of federal power in Mexico, it is necessary to assess the interaction between these two actors. Although the literature assumes a virtuous relation between them, especially for demanding rights and establishing procedures of accountability, there is evidence that civil society does not necessarily support the function of journalism, as reflected by the growing mistrust of printed media and in the widespread indifference to anti-press violence. Here it is proposed that this lack of trust is motivated by the way in which civil society has been covered by the press. From an original database integrated by the content of the two main newspapers of each state in the country, this research identifies the most common patterns adopted by the local Mexican press for covering civil society. The implications of these patterns for the actual relationship between press and society are discussed.