Now, when so many reporters are left without work, it is worth asking where the Latin American press has failed.
14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Generation Y, Havana, 22 March 2025 — Things are bad for the press when newspapers themselves become the protagonists of the daily news. In recent weeks, we have witnessed an avalanche of headlines about funding cuts to many of the media outlets in Latin America that have gained audiences and prestige for their reporting. The paralyzation of activities by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has jeopardized the work of thousands of reporters, editors, and audiovisual professionals throughout the region.
From El Salvador to Mexico to Cuba, the front pages of numerous newspapers have come to a virtual standstill due to a lack of resources to carry out their work. But tearing one’s garments serves little purpose in the current panorama. The scenario could, however, be more fruitful than meets the eye. Crises and moments of greatest danger often give rise to the most lasting solutions. One of the lessons we must learn from this situation is precisely that relying on a single source of funding condemns the press to collapse when that patron or donor turns off the tap.
The need to diversify revenues should be a priority for any newsroom. Advertisements, membership programs, sponsorships, and agreements with entities such as universities, foundations, and international organizations could help reduce dependence on budgetary allocations that are at the mercy of the decisions, likes, and dislikes of the current leader. If we don’t broaden the spectrum of financial sources, journalists risk having our reporting work cut short by a slashed snippet in a president’s office. Relying primarily on one source of income is irresponsible and dangerous.
The halt in USAID activities has jeopardized the work of thousands of reporters, editors, and professionals in Latin America.
Now, when many reporters are left without a salary to pay their bills and support their families, it’s worth asking how the Latin American press has stumbled by failing to create a more diverse and solid financial ecosystem. Beyond criticizing the current US administration and tearing our hair out over the end of certain budgets, we need to reflect on how we have failed our journalists and our audience by depending so exclusively on a single source of income.
Every crisis forces us to grow, and this one will be no exception. The press will emerge from the current slump reinvigorated and improved. Dreams will likely have to be scaled back, projects will be canceled, staff will be cut, and the frequency of updates will slow down on many digital sites. However, the media outlets affected today will also mature and comprehend a hard lesson: the press cannot operate with its back to corporate management. Producing dividends to sustain part of its work must be among those premises carved in stone in every newsroom, along with the need to verify sources, to have truth and accuracy as our guiding principle, and to commit to the constant pursuit of professionalism and the information service to society.
This doesn’t mean we have to become bankers or brokers; it means we understand, in its proper measure and importance, that the health of our coffers is just as important as the quality of our publications.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Deutsche Welle in Spanish.
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