RISK AND FORMS OF VIOLENCE IN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM WITHIN DIGITAL NATIVE MEDIA: a study of quinto elemento and periodismo de barrio

Abstract

Journalism poses inherent dangers for its practitioners and discomforts for those in positions of power around the globe. In response to this concern, this article examines the sources of risk, its manifestations and consequences in Periodismo de Barrio and Quinto Elemento, two digital media outlets focused on investigative journalism in Latin American contexts with distinct political, media, and journalistic risk structures: Mexico and Cuba. Through qualitative interviews with journalists from both outlets, the multidimensional nature of risks is unveiled, alongside the complexity of threats ranging from physical to symbolic violence. The conclusions underscore the dynamic interplay between risk factors and violence against journalists at the social level, the experiential nature of shared perceptions regarding this phenomenon, and the significance of investigative journalism in comprehending the diverse manifestations of violence against journalists.