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The New Praxeology of Digital Journalism in Latin America: Media Organizations Learn How to Walk by Running

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Journalism, Data and Technology in Latin America

Abstract

With no time to waste in becoming capable of producing high-quality journalism, media organizations in Latin America learn to walk through difficult times, rushing to use the best that technology, collaboration and the digital world have to offer. Globally, media organizations have had to adapt to a platformization of society that has undermined the journalism nexus and their business models. The situation is not different in Latin America. However, the innovative and creative aspects found in the region make it one of the most exciting places to investigate its media ecosystem. Through new practices of engagement, reporting, and collaborating and through activism or empathy, Latin American media organizations reveal a novel praxis of the profession in the region. In this chapter, we discuss the praxeology (the study of practice and action) through the analysis of 93 questionnaire responses and 11 interviews to argue that, even with enormous difficulty, the main journalistic objectives are still the basis of their motivations and values. The overall situation of crisis in the media market took a toll on these organizations. Yet, they have been able to raise their heads above water by throwing themselves into innovative praxis.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is one example. To know more about the projects of this organization, see https://www.icij.org/ (accessed in 11/04/2020).

  2. 2.

    PRAXIS | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved January 11, 2021, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/praxis

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Acknowledgments

This chapter has been partially funded by: JOLT—Harnessing Data and Technology for Journalism (H2020—MSCA-ITN-2017; grant number: 765140).

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Correspondence to Lucia Mesquita .

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Mesquita, L., Fernandes, K. (2021). The New Praxeology of Digital Journalism in Latin America: Media Organizations Learn How to Walk by Running. In: Salaverría, R., de-Lima-Santos, MF. (eds) Journalism, Data and Technology in Latin America. Palgrave Studies in Journalism and the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65860-1_2

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