{{short description|none}} The '''mass media in Peru''' includes a variety of different types of [[Media (communication)|media]], including television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based web sites. Much of the print-based media in [[Peru]] is over a century old, with some newspapers even dating back to the time of [[Peruvian War of Independence|independence]].
Peru's media organizations control the [[public sphere]], with wealthy families controlling much of the media and influencing decisions in the nation to serve their economic interests.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last1=Alvarez |first1=Javier Perla |title=REDD+ Politics in the Media: A Case Study from Peru |last2=Montero |first2=Daniela Freundt |last3=Barrantes |first3=Eduardo Burga |last4=Takahashi |first4=Talía Postigo |last5=Menton |first5=Mary |publisher=[[Center for International Forestry Research]] |year=2014 |pages=5–8}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=BTI 2022 Peru Country Report |url=https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report?isocode=PER&cHash=b9e52ae077a49f1fb3f4afffec3be011 |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=[[Bertelsmann Stiftung]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=MOM Peru - Findings: indicators |url=http://peru.mom-rsf.org/en/findings/indicators/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=[[Reporters Without Borders]] |language=en}}</ref> About 80% of the largest media companies in Peru are owned by relatives of the same family.<ref>{{cite web |title=MOM Perú - Proprietarios individuales |url=https://peru.mom-gmr.org/es/propietarios/propietarios-individuales/ |access-date=21 June 2023 |website=Media Ownership Monitor |language=es}}</ref> The mainstream media in Peru is typically [[Economic conservatism|economically]] and [[politically conservative]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=2022 |title=Peru {{!}} 2022 |url=https://rsf.org/en/country/peru |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509060054/https://rsf.org/en/country/peru |archive-date=2022-05-09 |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=[[Reporters Without Borders]] |language=en}}</ref> Since the 2020s, previously reputable mainstream outlets began to spread [[pseudoscience]] regarding the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] and political [[disinformation]], resulting with increased [[political polarization]].<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":7" /> Trusted media has turned towards independent media websites that have assumed the [[investigative journalism]] in the nation,<ref name=":7" /> with the two leading investigative organizations being [[IDL-Reporteros]] and [[OjoPúblico]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tegel |first=Simeon |date=2023-03-21 |title=Peru's far right is reviving decades-old terrorism narratives to undermine protests |url=https://www.codastory.com/rewriting-history/peru-protests-disinformation/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=[[Coda Media]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
== History == Since the intense periods of [[internal conflict in Peru]] in the 1980s and 1990s, the government, military, and media in Peru described any individual who was left on the [[political spectrum]] as being a threat to the nation, with many students, professors, union members, and peasants being jailed or killed for their political beliefs.<ref name=":21">{{Cite news |last=Burt |first=Jo-Marie |date=5 June 2021 |title=Peru's military say Shining Path insurgents killed 16 civilians. Others are not so sure. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/05/perus-military-say-shining-path-insurgents-killed-16-civilians-others-are-not-so-sure/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610102123/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/05/perus-military-say-shining-path-insurgents-killed-16-civilians-others-are-not-so-sure/ |archive-date=10 June 2021 |quote=The Fujimori campaign seized upon the Vizcatán massacre to reiterate the 'Castillo-as-extremist' narrative, pointing to alleged ties between Castillo and a Shining Path front group, MOVADEF, to suggest that Castillo bore some responsibility for the gruesome killings.}}</ref> Reporters investigating the government of [[Alberto Fujimori]] faced violence, with some being abducted and killed; from 1990 to 1996, at least eighteen journalists were assassinated, with most being from interior provinces.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Waisbord |first=Silvio |title=Watchdog Journalism in South America: News, Accountability, and Democracy |publisher=[[Columbia University Press]] |year=2000 |isbn=9780231506540 |pages=61 |language=en}}</ref>
In response to President [[Martín Vizcarra|Martin Vizcarra]]'s actions to [[2019–2020 Peruvian constitutional crisis|dissolve Congress]] in 2019, the media in Peru began a [[fearmongering]] campaign, arguing that left-wing political candidates would be elected in the [[2020 Peruvian parliamentary election]] and attempt to draft a new constitution.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campos |first=Rafael Rodríguez |date=30 October 2019 |title=La reforma constitucional en el Perú |url=https://laley.pe//art/8742/la-reforma-constitucional-en-el-peru |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=La Ley |language=es}}</ref>
Into the 2020s, mainstream private media began to lose its reputation due to its use of [[disinformation]], especially during the [[2021 Peruvian general election]].<ref name=":7" /> Outside of Lima, many media staff in rural areas were laid off during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Peru]], while hundreds of other journalists died due to [[COVID-19]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=2021 Digital News Report: Peru |url=https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2021/peru |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=[[Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism]] |language=en}}</ref> For the first round of elections, Peruvian media focused attacks against [[Centre-left politics|center-left]] candidate [[Verónika Mendoza|Veronika Mendoza]].<ref name=":62">{{Cite web |last=Migus |first=Romain |date=2021-09-01 |title=Can Pedro Castillo unite Peru? |url=https://mondediplo.com/2021/09/11peru |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831083423/https://mondediplo.com/2021/09/11peru |archive-date=31 August 2021 |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=[[Le Monde diplomatique]] |language=en}}</ref> The media's attacks resulted with support moving from Mendoza to [[Pedro Castillo]], who was further left on the political spectrum.<ref name=":622">{{Cite web |last=Migus |first=Romain |date=2021-09-01 |title=Can Pedro Castillo unite Peru? |url=https://mondediplo.com/2021/09/11peru |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831083423/https://mondediplo.com/2021/09/11peru |archive-date=31 August 2021 |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=[[Le Monde diplomatique]] |language=en}}</ref> In the second round of elections, Peru's major media networks were described as aligning with [[Keiko Fujimori]] to discredit Castillo.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |date=29 June 2021 |title=Former Peru dictator's spymaster reappears in alleged plot to swing recount |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/29/peru-vladimiro-monterinos-keiko-fujimori-pedro-castillo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702045805/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/29/peru-vladimiro-monterinos-keiko-fujimori-pedro-castillo |archive-date=2 July 2021 |access-date=1 July 2021 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":31">{{cite web |date=20 June 2021 |title=Peru: Fujimori cries electoral fraud – and unleashes torrent of racism |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/20/peru-elite-election-pedro-castillo-keiko-fujimori |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622045604/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/20/peru-elite-election-pedro-castillo-keiko-fujimori |archive-date=22 June 2021 |access-date=22 June 2021 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":62" /> Some news media allegedly disseminated [[fake news]] against Castillo while also creating a positive image of Fujimori.<ref name=":42">{{cite web |date=29 June 2021 |title=Former Peru dictator's spymaster reappears in alleged plot to swing recount |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/29/peru-vladimiro-monterinos-keiko-fujimori-pedro-castillo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702045805/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/29/peru-vladimiro-monterinos-keiko-fujimori-pedro-castillo |archive-date=2 July 2021 |access-date=1 July 2021 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":312">{{cite web |date=20 June 2021 |title=Peru: Fujimori cries electoral fraud – and unleashes torrent of racism |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/20/peru-elite-election-pedro-castillo-keiko-fujimori |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622045604/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/20/peru-elite-election-pedro-castillo-keiko-fujimori |archive-date=22 June 2021 |access-date=22 June 2021 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":624">{{Cite web |last=Migus |first=Romain |date=2021-09-01 |title=Can Pedro Castillo unite Peru? |url=https://mondediplo.com/2021/09/11peru |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831083423/https://mondediplo.com/2021/09/11peru |archive-date=31 August 2021 |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=[[Le Monde diplomatique]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":202">{{Cite web |date=3 June 2021 |title=Buenos Aires Times {{!}} Inequality fuels rural teacher's unlikely bid to upend Peru |url=https://batimes.com.ar/news/latin-america/inequality-fuels-a-rural-teachers-unlikely-bid-to-upend-peru.phtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604101055/https://batimes.com.ar/news/latin-america/inequality-fuels-a-rural-teachers-unlikely-bid-to-upend-peru.phtml |archive-date=4 June 2021 |access-date=4 June 2021 |website=[[Buenos Aires Times]] |publisher=[[Bloomberg.com|Bloomberg]]}}</ref><ref name=":17">{{cite news |date=29 May 2021 |title=Commies, crooks and bloodshed; Peru's election |pages=30 |newspaper=[[The Economist]]}}</ref> Despite media attacks against Castillo, he would win the presidency.<ref name=":7" /> During the [[Peruvian protests (2022–present)|Peruvian protests]] following the [[2022 Peruvian political crisis]], the media in Peru avoided coverage of demonstrations, with 60% of respondents of an Institute of Peruvian Studies poll saying that the media held a bias with protest coverage.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |title=Peru's Media Faces a Crisis Within a Crisis |url=https://nacla.org/perus-media-faces-crisis-within-crisis |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=[[NACLA]] |language=en}}</ref>
== Types ==
=== Television === {{main|Television in Peru}}
Television is the most popular medium in Peru.<ref name=":10" /> Among Peru's [[television network]]s is [[Latina Televisión]], which was the subject of considerable controversy and indirectly led to a case being decided by the [[Inter-American Court of Human Rights]]. Latina covered several stories of corruption in the Fujimori government when it was owned by [[Baruch Ivcher]]. However, Baruch Ivcher was stripped of his Peruvian [[citizenship]] and forced to sell his shares of the channel below market value to pro-Fujimori businessmen. Ivcher took the case to court, and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights eventually decided in his favor.
Another channel in Peru is [[Canal N]], a 24-hour cable news channel that is a joint venture between ''El Comercio'' and [[Telefónica]]. Other Peruvian networks include [[América Televisión]], which was purchased by ''El Comercio'' and ''La República'', [[Panamericana Televisión]], which secretly sold its editorial line to Vladimiro Montesinos, and [[public broadcasting]] station [[TV Perú]].
Some VHF stations like Latina and TV PERU broadcast their on-air feeds via Internet. Starting in 2006 some TV stations have appeared like TELURICA and in 2007 Frecuencia Primera RTVN released CANAL 200, using the name as they were created in 1976. TELURICA produces their own Internet Only programmes but CANAL 200 shows just clips and some sample productions.
=== Newspapers === {{see also|List of newspapers in Peru}} The oldest [[newspaper]] in [[Peru]] is ''[[El Peruano]]'', which was founded by [[Simón Bolívar]] on October 22, 1825. ''El Peruano'' acts as the official [[newspaper of record]], and all laws passed in Peru must be published in the daily. Despite ''El Peruano'''s official status, it does not have the largest circulation among Peruvian dailies.
[[Lima]]-based ''[[El Comercio (Peru)|El Comercio]]'', founded on May 7, 1839, is one of the most important Peruvian newspapers. It is also the oldest privately owned paper in the country. The Miró Quesada family controls ''El Comercio'', which has a [[right-wing]] political stance.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Country Profile Peru |url=https://www.mom-rsf.org/en/countries/peru/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=[[Reporters Without Borders]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="RWBmom">{{Cite web |title=Grupo El Comercio |url=https://mexico.mom-rsf.org/es/propietarios/companias/detalles/company/company/show/grupo-el-comercio-hoy-vigenta-inversiones-sa/ |access-date=2021-07-07 |website=Media Ownership Monitor |publisher=[[Reporters Without Borders]] |language=es}}</ref>
''[[La República (Peru)|La República]]'', founded on May 3, 1981, is another important newspaper. The newspaper overall has a [[Centre-right politics|centre-right political]] stance with small [[socialist]] opinions.<ref name=":3" /> ''La República'' ardently opposed the government of [[Alberto Fujimori]], and continues to refer to him as the "ex-[[dictator]]." ''La República'' was founded and edited by [[Gustavo Mohme Llona]], who was formerly a member of [[Congress of Peru|Congress]]. It is now edited by his son, Gustavo Mohme Seminario.
In addition to these three newspapers, there are several other newspapers, including, for example, ''[[Perú.21|Peru.21]]'', ''Correo'', and ''[[La Razón (Lima)|La Razón]]'', which is extremely pro-Fujimori. There are also several sensationalist tabloids that are considered to be part of the "[[chicha press]]", which often include vulgar content.<ref name=":3" /> Such papers frequently feature women wearing [[bikini]]s or less and show pictures of dead bodies on their front pages. During the government of Fujimori, [[Vladimiro Montesinos]] secretly purchased the editorial lines of such tabloids through [[bribery]].
According to a [[newspaper circulation|readership]] survey done in Lima in December 2010, the five most widely read newspapers were ''Trome'' (1,824.6 thousand readers), ''Ojo'' (526.0), [[El Comercio (Peru)|''El Comercio'']] (467.6), [[Perú.21|''Perú21'']] (293.4), and ''El Popular'' (225.8)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/mapping-digital-media-peru-20121112.pdf |title=''Estudio de Lectoría de Diarios y Suplementos'' (Newspaper and Supplement Readership Study)|page=22|publisher=[[Open Society Foundations|Open Society Media Program]]|author=[[Kantar Group|Kantar Media Research]]|date=December 2010|access-date=May 2, 2013}}</ref>
=== Radio === {{further ill|List of radio stations in Peru|es|Anexo:Emisoras de radio del Perú}} Since the existence of radio in Peru, it has been a popular source of information due to its ease of access.<ref name=":3" /> Many radio stations exist throughout Peru, including [[Radio Programas del Perú]]. The history of radio in Peru can be categorized into the first historical period of (1925-1936) when radio transformed from an elite medium to a mass media. The second period (1937-1956) began with the creation of [[Radio Nacional del Perú]] with a regulation toward commercial radio broadcast on such topics as entertainment. The period is considered the golden age of radio in Peru. The third period (1956-1980) tried to reconcile radio industry with the newly established television industry. The fourth period (1980-2000) begins with the return of the media companies to their owners, the formation of new networks and corporations, and the development of popular radio.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Publicaciones recibidas: La radio en el Perú. Emilio Bustamante Quiroz|url=http://www.archivoperuano.com/publicaciones.html|access-date=2020-09-17|website=www.archivoperuano.com}}</ref> Many Peruvians continued to utilize the radio for information in the 2020s, though news stories typically lack depth and details.<ref name=":7" />
Peruvian listeners prefer FM stations instead of MW and SW stations. Major cities such as Lima, Arequipa and Trujillo have their FM dial full. Since 1990, most of these stations have been acquired by large radio corporations in order to monopolize the dial. Only a very few independent stations survived this wave. As a consequence, the Peruvian government does not currently give licenses for new frequencies. This is one of the reasons that since late 1990s pirate radios and internet radio have appeared and are increasing. Internet-only media started in 1995 with some on-demand broadcasts in RealAudio done by Frecuencia Primera RTVN, Red Cientifica Peruana, Peru.Com and Radio Programas. Currently there are over 10 thousand online stations; some of them are Internet Only but some others are just live rebroadcast fm or mW stations. With some exceptions Internet Only stations die just a few weeks or months after they are created.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}
=== Internet === The use of the internet in Peru grew from about 36 percent in the early 2010 to 71 percent in 2021.<ref name=":10" /> Reputable news reporting has moved from traditional media to digital outlets according to [[Reporters Without Borders]].<ref name=":7" /> Organizations such as [[IDL-Reporteros]] and [[OjoPúblico]] have assumed the role of Peru's leaders in [[investigative journalism]] as mainstream media in the nation lost their reputation due to their use of disinformation.<ref name=":7" />
=== Magazines === ''[[Caretas]]'', founded in October 1950 by [[Doris Gibson]] and her son [[Enrique Zileri]], is one of Peru's most prestigious [[newsmagazine]]s.
== Censorship == {{main|Censorship in Peru}} In the 1992 [[Constitution of Peru]], any action prohibiting the dissemination of the press is illegal and a criminal offense.<ref name=":7" /> Attacks on journalists through judicial acts are frequent, however, especially by powerful and wealthy entities.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last1=Turkewitz |first1=Julie |last2=Taj |first2=Mitra |date=2022-01-19 |title=In Peru, Courts 'Used Like Whips' to Silence Journalists |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/world/americas/peru-christopher-acosta-cesar-acuna.html |access-date=2022-05-09 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[Defamation]] is a criminal offense in Peru and individuals often accuse journalists of this offense in censorship attempts.<ref name=":9" />
Into the 2010s, violence and death threats against press workers saw media freedom decline in Peru.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2015 |title=Freedom of thePress 2015 |url=https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/FreedomofthePress_2015_FINAL.pdf |website=[[Freedom House]]}}</ref> [[Freedom House]] described Peru as "partially free" in their ''Freedom of the Press 2017'' report.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2017 |title=Freedom of the Press 2017 |url=https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/FOTP_2017_booklet_FINAL_April28_1.pdf |website=[[Freedom House]]}}</ref> Verbal attacks against press workers by politicians increased into the 2020s, with [[far-right]] groups in Peru being documented attacking journalists by Reporters Without Borders.<ref name=":7" /> Allegations of [[self-censorship]] among mainstream media occurred during the 2021 elections, with the [[Knight Center for Specialized Journalism]] reporting on possible collaboration of the media with Keiko Fujimori's electoral campaign.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |date=19 May 2021 |title=Dismissal of news director of Peru's main television stations worsens credibility crisis in the press during polarized elections |url=https://latamjournalismreview.org/articles/dismissal-of-journalistic-director-of-perus-main-television-station-worsens-credibility-crisis-in-the-press-during-polarized-elections/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605222040/https://latamjournalismreview.org/articles/dismissal-of-journalistic-director-of-perus-main-television-station-worsens-credibility-crisis-in-the-press-during-polarized-elections/ |archive-date=5 June 2021 |access-date=5 June 2021 |website=[[Knight Center for Specialized Journalism]] |language=en}}</ref>
In January 2022, Judge Jesús Vega found an author, his book's publisher and the director of the publisher guilty of defamation for their book investigating multimillionaire [[César Acuña]], with the judge arguing that certain allegations lack sufficient sources and fining the entities $100,000, with the funds being awarded to Acuña.<ref name=":9" /> According to journalists, this created a dangerous precedent for press freedom since Vega suggested that sources used by press workers must be approved by an authority figure.<ref name=":9" />
== Media pluralism == According to Reporters Without Borders, media pluralism in Peru is lacking and poses a threat to freedom of information in the nation, especially with a lack of government regulation.<ref name=":8" /> [[El Comercio Group]] is the largest media conglomerate in Peru and one of the largest in South America, owning 80% of newspapers, receiving 65% of online readers and generating 57% of revenue among Peru's largest media organizations.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-05-19 |title=Dismissal of news director of Peru's main television stations worsens credibility crisis in the press during polarized elections |url=https://latamjournalismreview.org/articles/dismissal-of-journalistic-director-of-perus-main-television-station-worsens-credibility-crisis-in-the-press-during-polarized-elections/ |access-date=2021-07-07 |website=[[Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2021-06-28 |title=Peru's Fujimori loses allies as bid to flip election result falters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/perus-fujimori-loses-allies-bid-flip-election-result-falters-2021-06-28/ |access-date=2021-07-07 |website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Dube |first=Ryan |date=2014-01-02 |title=Battle Brews Over Media Influence in Peru |language=en-US |work=[[Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303870704579296513417651766.html |access-date=2021-07-07 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> Like many media organizations in Peru, El Comercio is owned by a family, the Miro Quesada family, which also owns América Televisión.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":8" /> The Miro Quesada family and its El Comercio Group has typically supported [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]] political candidates, including President [[Alan García]] and [[Keiko Fujimori]].<ref name=":6" /><ref name="RWBmom" /> Grupo República also owns multiple entities including ''La República'' and supports center-right politics.<ref name=":3" /> For television channels, América Televisión, ATV and Latina receive 57% of the national audience viewership.<ref name=":8" /> In radio communication, CRP, Panamericana de Radios, RPP Group and Universal Corporation control much of the market, with CRP and RPP owning more than the legal limit of 20% of frequencies in Lima according to Reporters Without Borders.<ref name=":8" />
==See also== * [[Cinema of Peru]] * {{illm|Colegio de Periodistas del Perú|es}}, est. 1980 * [[Freedom of the press in Peru]] * {{illm|Grupo El Comercio|es}}, media conglomerate
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{citation |url=https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2015/peru |title=Peru |work=Freedom of the Press |oclc=57509361 |publisher=[[Freedom House]] |location=US |year=2015 |access-date=2018-04-12 |archive-date=2020-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125033518/https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2015/peru |url-status=dead }} * Alonso, Paul. ''Thirty years of entertainment and politics in Peru''. Editorial Planeta, 2022.
==External links== * [http://www.anp.org.pe Asociación Nacional de Periodistas del Perú], est. 1928
{{Peru topics}} {{Americas topic|Mass media in|title=Mass media in Latin America and the Caribbean}} {{South America topic|Media of}}
[[Category:Mass media in Peru| ]] [[Category:Mass media by country|Peru]] [[Category:Mass media in South America by country|Peru]]