Between Support and Confrontation: Civic Society, Media Reform, and Populism in Latin America

This article calls for a critical examination of the media politics of civic society in new democracies. The analysis discusses the media policies of populist administrations and the role of civic groups in contemporary Latin America. The analysis shows the complex relations between civic actors and governments in processes of media reform. Contra visions that approach civic society as an autonomous space of resistance, these cases call for a nuanced analysis of the politics of coalition-building between civic actors and governments. More than a common project of media reform, civil society emerges as a heterogeneous space for the articulation of different political priorities and ideologies. The theoretical and research implications for further global media research are discussed in the conclusions.