While the battle between the press and the government is very "in your face", reporters are rarely in physical danger for exposing government wrongdoing. However, the quality of independent journalism in Argentina is very low. It is not economically profitable to work on your own. Many journalists that work on their own have to hold 2nd jobs. Journalists are often not trained to use formal channels to access information. Career journalists tend to find jobs with media conglomerates such as Grupo Clarín or sources funded by the government. Media conglomerates and the government are not reporting on what the electorate needs to know in order to make informed voting decisions.
The conflict between Clarín and the government consumes a significant amount of their reporting. Even without the Clarín conflict, Grupo Clarín is massive and owns print media, television stations, websites, radio stations, internet service, and cable service.
Furthermore, Argentina lacks an adequate access to information law like the Freedom of Information Act in the U.S. The reforms CFK has pushed for, under a banner of human rights protection and democratic strengthening, are aimed at punishing a political enemy and not at strengthening democratic institutions of transparency. Anonymous smear campaigns in which BA is plastered with posters that say "Clarin Miente!" obviously have government support, if not financing. Journalists and newspapers have subsequently been divided into "K" and "anti-K" camps.
The government continues to use its multimillion dollar advertisement budget to select which newspapers it will place ads in, creating a clientelistic relationship wherein those that self-censor receive government funds. Perfil took the government to court in 2006 accusing the government of refusing to advertise in their paper due to their political positions.
So, while journalists may not face physical danger, the quality of and diversity in reporting remains extremely weak. It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming years. One of CFK's first moves after her 2nd inauguration was to pass a law expropriating Papel Prensa, the newsprint company. Clarín held the controlling share and La Nacion, a right of center newspaper, held a sizable share. CFK received more votes than any other Argentine president except for Peron and Yrigoyen when she was reelected. Her party holds a majority in the Senate and a near majority in the House of Deputies so she stands a good chance of passing laws that she wants. Yet, she has shown no interest that I know of in passing a law such as an access to information law that would make the government more transparent.
