Demands for Media Democratization and the Latin American New Left: Governmental Strategies in Argentina and Brazil in Comparative Perspective

PHILIP KITZBERGER

Chicago

Congreso; XXXII International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association; 2014

Latin American Studies Association

This paper is concerned with the determinants of governmental strategies towards dominant media actors in the Latin American context of increased questioning of the media?s role in democratic politics. This concern will be addressed by comparing the two first Kirchnerist presidencies in Argentina with the two first PT-led governments in Brazil. While both experiences started with accommodation strategies towards media organizations, political crises broke the fragile coexistence between media and governments, triggering divergent strategic responses that require explanation. Discussing with accounts relying on ideological preferences, the study establishes the importance of environmental factors and critical junctures as determinants of governmental strategic options. Significant differences in institutional configurations and articulations of media interests are found relevant. However, the study shows that such constraints do no tell the whole story. Consequently, the analysis focuses on how certain junctures affect governmental perceptions over media power that inform strategic stances.