Media, evidence and policy analysis in Colombia

Resumen

This chapter focuses on the media as another critical actor in Colombian society and explores the power of the media in shaping policy agendas and discourse. It stresses how the media is a relevant topic of exploration in Colombia given the history of major media outlets being owned by elite political families or having other strong connections with political parties. It also examines the extent to which journalists rely on both technical and political sources. The chapter illustrates how policy-relevant information is processed by the media. It argues that public policy journalism in Colombia is in its fledgling stage and that it is more complex than traditional political journalism mainly based on testimonies and media archives.