City Research Online

Abstract

The relationship between media and politics in Latin American is highly complex and cannot be understood only through the intellectual prism of the ‘media transition’ theories, from the move away from the dictatorship phase of the 1970s to the ‘free market press’ of the contemporary years. Conceptual and theoretical frameworks include development and imperialism, post-colonialism, pluralism and participation, democracy as well as sustainability and digital activism, or what some authors have labelled ‘multiple modernities’ or a ‘captured liberal model’. This entry provides a critical overview of these frameworks, assessing the changes in the Latin American media landscape in the last decades, underscoring its tradition of being a ‘hub’ for the discussion of communication policies - from reform of the traditional media to Internet regulation - , as well as providing a critical examination of the role of digital communications in fostering more meaningful and lasting change. It focuses particularly at the case study of Brazil and the attempts of the state in upholding democratic politics amid the wider regional context of ‘fragility of democracy’ and uncertainties regarding the capacity of media systems to provide active citizenship participation.

Publication Type:	Book Section
Additional Information:	This is a draft chapter/article. The final version is available in Handbook of Latin American Politics edited by Avellaneda, C., Mendez, N. & Bello-Gomez, R. A., published in 2026, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Keywords:	Latin American media systems, democracy, digital communications, populism, social movements
Subjects:	J Political Science > JA Political science (General) J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General)
Departments:	School of Communication & Creativity School of Communication & Creativity > Department of Media, Culture & Creative Industries
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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