Conversation: Freedom of expression, power and the media in Mexico: the case of Carmen Aristegui

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Ella McPherson (Cambridge) and Jose Antonio Brambila (Sheffield) - One of the most influential journalists of Mexico, Carmen Aristegui, was sacked last month under allegations of "loss of confidence" from the Media company she worked for (MVS Noticias) towards two members of her team. Four months earlier, Aristegui's team had published a report on what would become a massive scandal for the Administration of President Peña Nieto: the acquisition of a £4 million mansion, through one of the government's contractors. What are the implications of this event for freedom of expression? What is the role of Media and its relation to political power in Mexico?

Dr Ella McPherson is an ESRC Future Research Leader in the University of Cambridge Department of Sociology, as well as a Research Associate of Cambridge's Centre of Governance and Human Rights. Her current research is on social media and human rights, while her previous research was on human rights reporting at Mexican newspapers.

José Antonio Brambila holds a BA in communication from the Panamerican University and a MA in political science from El Colegio de México. His doctoral research is on the interaction between the media systems and the political systems from a comparative perspective.

The political discussion forums are meant to be dynamic spaces, where speakers talk in a brief, 15-20 min presentations, and then interact with the views and ideas of the audience. More than a seminar, the idea is to address a topic of interest in Mexico, raise awareness and engage the public in a plural space. This event is organised in conjunction with the UCLU Mexican Society.