THE RORY PECK TRUST FREELANCERS IN MEXICO A SURVEY - FINDINGS AND CHALLENGES TÍTULO DE LA SECCIÓN THE RORY PECK TRUST The Rory Peck Trust exists to support freelance newsgatherers and their families worldwide in times of need, and to promote their welfare and safety. 2, Grosvenor Gardens London SW1W 0DH United Kingdom www.rorypecktrust.org CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: THE RORY PECK TRUST 3 WHO IS A FREELANCER? 4 FROM THE DIRECTOR 5 OBSErvE, ANALYSE, ACT 6 FROM THE MEXICO ADVISORY COMMITTEE 10 A FREEDOM FENCED IN 12 FREELANCERS IN MEXICO – a deTAILED PICTURE 22 TRUST PECK THE EDITOR’s VIEW JUAN ANGULO, EL SUR NEWSPAPER 34 RORY THE BRITISH EXPERIENCE 36 THE RORY PECK TRUST CONCLUSION: SOWING THE SEEDS 40 APPENDIX The Work of the Trust 44 Freelance newsgatherers are an essen- lished UK and US broadcasters work with Safety Codes 46 tial part of an open, democratic society freelancers. and the international newsgathering in- dustry relies heavily on their contribution. Each year, the Trust organises its main The Rory Peck Trust, established in 1995, fundraising event, The Rory Peck Awards. PRODUCED AND EDITED BY: NADINE JURRAT, DARÍO FRITZ Y VÍCTOR HUGO HERNÁNDEZ has an ongoing commitment to their wel- Sponsored by Sony, the Awards are the fare and safety. The Trust provides finan- only showcase in the world celebrating DESIGN: HUMBERTO DIJARD TÉLLEZ cial support to freelancers working in news the work of freelance cameraman and and current affairs who have been seri- camerawomen in news and current affairs. FRONT COVER: BLANCA HERNÁNDEZ ously injured, imprisoned, persecuted or This annual event has become one of the are in exile as a result of their work and to most prestigious and moving events in the PHOTOS: ELENA AYALA, ALICIA HUERTA CORTÉZ, DAVID MAUNG, DANIEL MOREL, ERICK MUÑIZ, the families of freelancers who have been newsgathering industry. JUAN MANUEL VILLASEÑOR, NATIVE VOICE FILMS AND FIDA HAMED killed. The Trust also promotes good prac- tice and subsidises training in hostile envi- The Trust enjoys the active involvement TRANSLATION: ADRIANA DÍAZ ENCISO ronments for freelancers. and support of an international and influen- Printed by Impresora Campos, Calle 310 No. 26-3, tial committee of freelance newsgatherers, Col. Nueva Atzacoalco, Mexico 07420, D.F. The Trust has developed a unique body of journalist support organisations and broad- Published in 2008 by The Rory Peck Trust knowledge about freelancers and the is- casters including ABC News, AP Television 2, Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, United Kingdom sues that they face and has always worked News, ARD, BBC, BSkyB, CBC, Channel 4, E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.rorypecktrust.org to raise awareness of their invaluable con- CNN, NBC News, Reuters TV and ZDF. NO ARTICLE OR PHOTOGRAPH MAY BE REPRODUCED FROM THIS PUBLICATION WITHOUT AUTHORISATION, tribution to freedom of expression and the AND FULL CREDIT MUST BE GIVEN TO THE RORY PECK TRUST. independent view. The Trust’s constant The Trust is totally independent and relies low level advocacy has successfully influ- on its income from sponsorship, donations THIS PUBLICATION HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE SUPPOrt enced the way in which the main estab- and grants in order to fund its work. OF THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION FROM THE DIRECTOR WHO IS A FREELANCE NEWSGATHERER TINA CARR DIRECTOR, THE RORY PECK TRUST For The Rory Peck Trust in its work in Latin America, the term ‘freelance’ is defined as: » A journalist, photojournalist, radio reporter, The Rory Peck Trust has been helping freelance newsgatherers and their families for the last twelve years. cameraperson or photographer who is not employed We do this because we passionately believe that freelancers play a vital role in as staff member of a media organisation, and does the free flow of information. Bearing witness to events in remote – and often not have a permanent contract with entitlement to dangerous - regions, they are often the first to bring news of issues that can impact on people’s everyday lives at all levels, political, financial and personal. any benefits. e.g. sick pay, holidays, social security, For this, they can suffer intimidation and sometimes lose their lives. pension The Rory Peck Trust has always worked to raise awareness of the value of freelancers with media employers in Europe and America, with whom we have » He/she delivers the work (articles, reportages, an ongoing dialogue on issues of good practice and welfare. This has enabled us to influence the way that media employers treat their freelancers and has photos, films, investigations) at his/her own risk and also affected their policies and codes of conduct. expense, in an independent way, to one or several It feels entirely appropriate that our first programme dedicated to good practice media organisations, which will be published in should be in Mexico, a country where the dangers for all journalists, including exchange for an economic remuneration freelancers, have become so great. We hope that this report – and the work that has begun – will have a positive » This professional does not have a formal or effect and begin the dialogue without which there can be no change. commercial relationship with any governmental office We thank the Open Society Institute for making this programme in Mexico or private company linked to his/her sources of possible, and all our colleagues and supporters in Mexico who have provided a warm welcome and allowed us to work with them so closely. information Finally, we would like to salute the courage of those freelancers in Mexico who, despite danger and intimidation, struggle to continue telling the truth. They should know that they are not alone.b TÍTULO DE LA SECCIÓN TÍTULO DE LA SECCIÓN OBSERVE ANALIZE CORTÉZ UERTA H ACT ALICIA INTRODUCTION TÍTULO DE LA SECCIÓN NADINE JURRAT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, THE RORY PECK TRUST CORTÉZ hile staff re- ing killed, or concerned to get UERTA porters often injured while covering a dem- H count on the onstration that turns violent. logistic and fi- ALICIA nancial back- Based on the findings of ex- Wup of their employers when tensive research into the sit- injured, killed or persecut- uation of freelancers in Latin The aims of our work are of 2007. This was mainly done ed, the great majority of free- America in 2005, and reflect- very simple but still a challenge through an online question- lancers have no one to turn to. ing its commitment to support in today’s Mexico: to identify naire and 19 focus groups and This is no different in Mexi- freelancers around the world, the freelance sector and high- we are grateful to all those who co, which is fast becoming one The Rory Peck Trust started its light their specific problems to participated. of the most dangerous coun- first Good Practice Programme in the media, NGOs and the gen- tries to be a journalist in the Mexico in January 2007 with eral public, and to advocate for The Trust’s presence in Mex- world at this time, where free- the support of the Open Society good practice with media, en- ico has already started a debate lancers are being intimidated, Institute. We found that a large suring that freelancers can re- about the increasingly danger- kidnapped or killed by illegal number of freelancers did not port in safety and security. For ous situation for freelancers. We groups and organised crime recognise themselves as free- this, we have worked with our are now hoping that the results – the so called poderes para- lancers, or realise the important Mexico Advisory Committee, of this research will provide a lelos - as a result of their work. role they have in emerging de- partner organisations CEPET, necessary resource for the Trust Often they not only have to mocracies, providing the gen- INSI and PRENDE and local- and others to work with local worry about their own safety, eral public with an independent ly based media, and with over media in ensuring that freelanc- but have to protect their fami- point of view. While the Trust 300 freelancers from 16 feder- ers in Mexico can report in free- lies from these threats as well. knew about individual cas- al states in the first nine months dom and safety. b While for a long time this was es of Mexican freelancers who a problem mainly faced by re- were threatened, kidnapped or porters working in the north- killed, there had not been any WE ARE NOW HOPING THAT THE RESULTS OF THIS ern border region, it has now statistics or detailed information RESEARCH WILL PROVIDE A NECESSARY RESOURCE FOR spread to almost every state in on how many freelancers there THE TRUST AND OTHERS TO WORK WITH LOCAL MEDIA IN the country, with freelancers are in the country, what media ENSURING THAT FREELANCERS IN MEXICO CAN REport IN FREEDOM no longer investigating narco- they work in and what prob- AND SAFETy”. related stories out of fear of be- lems they are facing. 0 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION LETTER FROM THE MEXICO journalists, exists to support tice Forum in June 2007. The ADVISOry COMMITTEE the Trust’s Good Practice Pro- Committee has played a very gramme in Mexico. Our col- important role in contributing lective experience has clearly to the goals set out by the Trust demonstrated to us the danger for the first phase of its activ- of being a journalist in Mexico ities in Mexico, and I would and is the main reason for sup- like to thank each member sin- porting the work of the Trust. cerely for the time and wisdom María Idalia Gómez, free- they have given over the past lance journalist and winner year.