Working conditions of journalists in Colombia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n40a2727

Keywords:

Working conditions, media, journalism in Colombia, labor precariousness

Abstract

This article analyzes the working conditions for journalists in Colombia. It presents the results of a survey conducted between September and December 2023 involving 271 journalists. The findings highlight the precarious and unstable circumstances under which these professionals operate, characterized by long working hours and insufficient guarantees. Journalists in municipalities and regions distant from urban centers face even worse conditions and lower incomes, adversely impacting the quality of information produced in those areas. Among the respondents, 127 reported dissatisfaction with their working conditions, and over 50 % indicated they would consider leaving the profession. While the survey is not representative of all journalists in the country, it offers valuable insights into the realities and challenges faced by those practicing journalism in Colombia.

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Author Biographies

  • Diego García Ramírez, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia

    Professor on the Journalism program at the School of Human Sciences of Universidad del Rosario, Colombia. Member of the Applied Ethics, Labor, and Social Change research group at the same institution. PhD in Communication and Culture from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Master's in Communication from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Anthropologist from the Universidad de Antioquia. Vice-coordinator of the Thematic Group on Political Economy of Communications of the Latin American Association of Communication Researchers-ALAIC (2024-2026). Member of the Working Group on Political Economy of Information, Communication, and Culture of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences - CLACSO.

  • Paulina Morales Valencia, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia

    BA in Journalism and Public Opinion from Universidad del Rosario. Young researcher at Universidad del Rosario 2023-2024. Five years of experience in radio journalism and as a producer for Hora 20, a leading opinion program in Colombian radio. Winner of the Otto de Greiff Award in 2021 for the best thesis in the category of Environment and Sustainable Development. National Journalism Award Simón Bolívar 2022 in the Opinion category.

  • Óscar Parra Castellanos, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia

    Data journalist. Systems Engineer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, with a specialization in Journalism from Universidad de los Andes and a master's degree in Journalism from Universidad San Pablo CEU. He has 20 years of experience in digital media, working with portals focused on political issues and Human Rights, such as Votebien.com and VerdadAbierta.com. He is a reporter, multimedia report designer, and programmer of database tools with journalistic content. He is the director of Rutas del Conflicto, a media outlet with nearly 10 years of experience covering social conflict in Colombia.

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Published

01-01-2025

Issue

Section

Monographs

How to Cite

García Ramírez, D., Morales Valencia, P., & Parra Castellanos, Óscar. (2025). Working conditions of journalists in Colombia. Doxa Comunicación. Interdisciplinary Journal of Communication Studies and Social Sciences, 40, 385-407. https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n40a2727
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