From media development to public policies: the impact of foreign aid in the latin american communication field

MARÍA SOLEDAD SEGURA

International Media Development: Historical Perspectives and New Frontiers

Peter Lang

Año: 2019; p. 56 - 78

This chapter examines the influence and impact of international assistance on communication and media practice, research, education and policies in Latin America since the 1970s. It addresses a gap within regional communication studies: the historical and material foundations of the Latin American communication field. Despite the relevance of foreign aid in this sector, there are extremely few researchers studying this issue.This paper discusses the following questions: What has been the role of foreign aid in shaping communication and media practices, research, education and policies in Latin America? Has it suported participatory or modernization models of communication? My argument is that international media assistance in Latin America has achieved several goals, such as bolstering some actors, experiences, policies and values associated with more participatory models of communication, while promoting others firmly rooted in modernization theory. But in some cases, it has also had unexpected impact. As such, it was crucial to (1) develop the main institutions of the regional communication sector; (2) promote intellectuals, activists, and politicians in both the communication and political fields; and (3) support groups that had an impact on media policy reform over the last 15 years.The analysis is based on interviews with former and current officials of the three regional networks of community media, the two Latin American academic associations, and different types of donors. In these interviews, I sought access to the historical memory of actors and institutions from the 1970s to the 2010s to understand their perceptions about the processes and impact of international aid. In this chapter, I will first analyze the context, interests, organizations and consequences of foreign aid on media and communication during the Cold War Era. Then, I will examine the continuities and discontinuities of international assistance during the post-Cold War Era. Finally, I will offer conclusions.