Mexico: Debate on quality in journalism

CAF Executive President Enrique García, and the president of the board of directors of Fundación Nuevo Periodismo (FNPI), Gabriel García Márquez, opened in Monterrey, Mexico, a round table on “The quest for quality journalism and the transformation of professional journalism,” which brought together distinguished communicators from Latin America.

The event aims to explore current issues that was creating new challenges for quality journalism in Latin America, among them the ethical and social demands on media and journalists, the quest for creativity and rigor in the Internet era, and the impact of relations with political power on quality journalism.

During the meeting, the annual CEMEX-FNPI New Journalism Prize was presented. This award honors the best journalistic work in the region. The ceremony took place in the presence of Enrique García, Gabriel García Márquez and Lorenzo Zambrano, president of the CEMEX Board of Directors.

This year, the event paid homage to Brazilian journalist Clovis Rossi. In the competition, Josefina Licitra from Argentina won the award in the text category, and Mauricio Lima from Brazil led in the photography category.

Guests at the award ceremony included the authors of eight works – four in text and four in photography - who were selected from 878 entries in the competition. Also present were the members of the international jury that evaluated the works: Horacio Verbitsky, Argentina; Jean Francois Fogel, France; José Salgar, Colombia; Mayra Montero, Puerto Rico; and Pedro Valtierra, Mexico.

The ceremony was attended by the members of the Governing Council of the Award, Carlos Monsivais, Mexico; Germán Rey, Colombia; Joaquín Estefanía, Spain; Javier Darío Restrepo, Colombia; Ronsental Calmon Alves, Brazil: and Sergio Ramírez, Nicaragua, as well as invited directors, editors and journalists from media in America and Europe.