Press ‘freedom’ in Mexico has been shaped by elite ambitions. Review: Mexican Watchdogs: The Rise of a Critical Press since the 1980s, Andrew Paxman, by Gavin O'Toole
Fantastic review that really nails how press freedom in Mexico was less about democratic principles and more a tool for the counter-elite to advance neoliberal reforms. The point about Salinas using media opening to build consensus among the middle class while dismantling bureaucratic statism is spot on. I've seen similar patterns in other Latin American contexts where liberalization of media coincided with economic restructuring, and it always turned out the 'freedom' was pretty selective abuot what narratives got amplified.
Fantastic review that really nails how press freedom in Mexico was less about democratic principles and more a tool for the counter-elite to advance neoliberal reforms. The point about Salinas using media opening to build consensus among the middle class while dismantling bureaucratic statism is spot on. I've seen similar patterns in other Latin American contexts where liberalization of media coincided with economic restructuring, and it always turned out the 'freedom' was pretty selective abuot what narratives got amplified.
Many thanks for your comment Neural Foundry! Appreciate it.
Many thanks indeed for this generous review, Gavin. Much appreciated.