Latin American journalists face the challenges of social cohesion

Twenty-four journalists from all over Latin America took part in the week-long “Coverage of the challenges faced in ensuring social cohesion in Latin America” workshop. These sessions were organised by the Gabo Foundation and theEuropean Union-funded EUROsociAL+ programme, managed by FIIAPP. The aim of the workshop was to expand the skills of journalists to better cover the challenges posed by social cohesion in the post-pandemic era.  

The workshop was opened by Jaime Abello, the general director of the Gabo Foundation, who called for a type of journalism “that from its ethical horizon and its commitment to public service can investigate and amplify the proposed solutions, promote confidence and hope, counteracting the polarisation and misinformation that fragments societies.”   

The general secretary of FIIAPP, Inmaculada Zamora said that “The Gabo Foundation is a beacon, not only for journalism, but also for democracy”, stressing the importance of promoting an active and informed citizenship through the ethical training and encouragement of journalists, inspired by the legacy of Gabriel García Márquez.  

Mónica González, workshop teacher and member of the Governing Council of the Gabo Foundation, set forth the reasons why the journalistic profession must seek new perspectives to break down the collective fears exacerbated by the pandemic. Meanwhile, Sonia González, coordinator of EUROsociAL+ governance, stressed that social cohesion “is not on the public agenda” and that economic recovery “needs to focus on social aspects, with people at its centre.”  

Seven keys to improve journalistic coverage of the challenges of social cohesion 

1. Humanise, not victimise. We need to understand that it is not enough just to move others emotionally, to outrage, to repeatedly report on the acts of violence and pain that mark the life of someone or their people. We have to assume that real commitment means addressing the reasons why such events should not be repeated and show how they exacerbate social divides. 
2. Seek out new ways to narrate age-old problems. Ever-changing formats and platforms force the media to find other ways to bring the public closer to daily content. Nevertheless, in the effort to achieve such a connection, we should not fall into the trap of morbid curiosity and superficial portrayal.  
3. Build the community. Although there is mistrust among citizens, the truth is that this exists among journalists as well. It is therefore necessary to promote transnational projects to make the common scourges that afflict the entire region more visible.
4. Show paths. At the crossroads of generating greater traffic and consumption of information, the duty to inform people through journalism should not be overlooked. It is not enough to say what happens, it is crucial to unravel the origin of why it did and point to possible solutions. 
5. Fight misinformation with quality research. Professional thoroughness has to prevail when preparing any type of content, no matter how simple the story may be. 
6. Do not encourage hate speech. The public ‘s mistrust and disaffection increase as inequality grows. Given such a scenario, there is an urgent need for journalism to explain without falling into activism or “do-gooding”. 
7. Overcome egos. Journalists should put aside their thirst for recognition and isolate themselves from adopting a “hero” posture when retelling reality, so as not to intoxicate their work by trying to make themselves stand out solely through the rawness or beauty of contents.