Digital Media in Latin America - Mapping Digital Media Global Findings

MAJOR TRENDS 1. Power Established groups in the television market can transition smoothly into digital television and replicate their dominance in the new environment—especially when regulation privileges incumbents. Digital divides are numerous and broad, reflecting age, wealth, education, and the urban/ rural split. Except for a few initiatives—such as Uruguay’s Ceibal plan—little has been done to narrow these divides and improve digital literacy. Public service media either function as state media or are indistinguishable from private media. Digitization creates opportunities for rethinking and strengthening the role of public media, and also of community media. 2. Monetization There are no successfully replicable business models to sustain online journalism. News websites mostly replicate offline outlets owned by dominant groups; and journalists seem increasingly vulnerable to pressure in various forms. The shortage of credible and current data on equipment ownership, audience, and news consumption predates digitization. It has become more acute as media markets and media consumption grow more complex. 3. News online The leading incumbent media outlets, particularly newspapers, have become leading news sources on the internet. Online communication is, however, a significant and growing force. The internet has cut the fixed costs of launching new media outlets. New voices produce and distribute high-quality journalism, including investigative journalism, in a number of countries.