Media Ownership Matters

Mass media influence the way facts are viewed and debated in the society. Independence and pluralism in media, public opinion and views— including criticism of people in power— are the safeguards of a healthy democracy. Monitoring and ensuring ownership pluralism is the first step toward independence and freedom of choice.

How can people evaluate the reliability of information if they don't know who provides it? How can journalists work properly if they don't know who controls the company they work for? And how can media authorities address excessive media concentration if they don't know who is behind the media's steering wheel?  

Ownership structure may also affect the way the media industry manages its resources. It shapes the economic strength and efficiency of the media sector, which is of particular interest to potential investors. 

MOM thus aims to create transparency and to answer the question “who eventually controls media content?” in order to raise public awareness, to create a fact base for advocacy to hold political and economic players accountable for the existing conditions.

In order to break the biggest obstacle against plurality: the lack of transparency, the Media Ownership Monitor (MOM) analyzed the people who control the most powerful media in Latina America, the most concentrated continent. The countries analyzed are Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.