by Juan-Carlos Molleda,
University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication

Dear communication colleagues,

I cannot stop thinking about the shocking events that happened in the United States Capitol on January 6. I know this dark day in U.S. history has made the beginning of the new year more challenging for us all, not only in the United States, but across the world. I wish for better days ahead.

As we regain the necessary energy to continue helping our students learn and succeed, we must point to many role models and reminders of courage and truth-telling. Over the past year, we have seen and contributed to many acts and expressions of resilience in the face of a deadly pandemic, amid cries for racial justice, and dramatic devastation such as wide-spread wildfires caused by climate change. And in just the last few days, I have witnessed numerous individuals, organizations, and associations expressing publicly their rejection of violence and last week’s assault on democracy and its institutions.

Some of the largest U.S. companies have expressed their intentions to pause political contributions to certain lawmakers and rethink their involvement in politics through carefully crafted public statements written by professional communicators and public affairs practitioners. And I have been very proud of the excellent work of the many journalists and news media personalities responsible for covering and producing this unfolding story of the Capitol siege. I have seen countless examples highlighting the critical roles of journalism, advertising, public relations, and traditional and emergent media in the reconstruction of truth, trust, and hope for a better democratic system and justice for all.

Words matter, and false information has grave consequences. Many of our academic colleagues have already spoken up publicly about this threat to our democratic system and democracies all over the world. No one who lives in the United States should forget what happened in Washington, D.C., and we should not simply move on but instead condemn these terrible events while debating their implications for the study, teaching, and practice of our disciplines and professions.

Our democracy is fragile, and we are indeed in a struggle for its future. What many see as a beacon of freedom and hope has been under attack by an elected leader and others who incited, directed, and encouraged an unruly mob of insurrectionists to violently interrupt a joint session of the U.S. Congress to overturn the result of a presidential election and subvert the peaceful transfer of power. In a reaction that is frightening, yet predictable, Trump has been defiantly defensive, despite nearly universal condemnation and the launch of a second impeachment process. He would be the only U.S. president in history to be impeached twice, this time for inciting violence against the government of the United States.

Before I came to the United States in 1994, there was an attempted coup d’état in my country of birth, Venezuela. This historical event contributed to the progressive deterioration of the country’s political system, leading to the impoverishment of its citizens over the last two decades. It was confusing and disheartening at the time, but it was also a teachable moment and an opportunity for news organizations and businesses to contribute stories, messages, and actions that helped restore the nation’s focus and strengthen its citizens and civic life.

I know the context of my experience is different from what is happening in the United States, but the desire to contribute to a return to normalcy and a sense of civility feels similar to me. I know my colleagues and I will continue to make a difference in the lives of our students and in our communities by defending and teaching the virtues of ethical and professional journalism and communication during this time of transition, disruption, and constant change.

Every morning I look at the horizon to see what the new day brings. Every sunrise makes me think about a future full of possibilities. I intend to take this daily inspiration into my work, for our students, the larger community, the disciplines we study, and the professions we serve, which have a significant role to play in helping our society heal and become functional once more.

I wish you and your families a healthy and better new year.

In solidarity for all democracies,

Juan-Carlos Molleda, Ph.D.
Edwin L. Artzt Dean and Professor
University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication

47% of Latin-American communicators have experienced several ethical challenges in their daily work over the past year

The two main ethical concerns of communicators are: (1) the use of bots to generate responses and follow them in social media and (2) the hacking of personal data of the public using big data analysis.

The countries that report major ethical challenges are Brazil, Peru, El Salvador, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Latin America, December 2020 – Researchers from the Latin American Communication Monitor (LCM 2020-2021) study presented exclusively, within the framework of the EUPRERA autumn sessions, a preview on the results obtained in the fourth edition of the multinational study on communication management in  the region (webinar recording available here).

During the session Juan-Carlos Molleda and Marco V. Herrera, researchers in the Latin American region presented the main findings on communication management issues and their relationships with cyber security, the status of women, ethical challenges, and new skills needed and concerns faced by of communicators in the region.

Puerto Rico and Cuba joined the study, having obtained data from 20 countries for the first time. The number of surveys answered also increased, from 1,165 to 1,683 responses. LCM continues to be the most representative study of the perceptions of communication professionals in the region, and where the opinions of professionals from different positions, experiences, and types of organizations are included.

The main growth of the sample was generated by the participation of communicators from large companies that are listed on the stock market and also from freelancers. In other demographics, the study reports that three out of four responses are from women; a drop in the levels of affiliation to professional associations was also detected.

Early findings

In the segment dedicated to ethical challenges and resources for integrity management, the study reported that 47% of Latin American communicators have experienced several ethical challenges in their daily work over the past year, and the two main ethical concerns of communicators are: the use of bots to generate responses and follow them in social media, and the exploitation of personal data of the public using big data analysis. The countries that report major ethical challenges are Brazil, Peru, El Salvador, Argentina, and Uruguay.

In the management of integrity and ethical challenges communicators use the ethical guidelines of their organizations 88% and personal values 89% are the preferred resources (the guides of professional associations only represent 79%). Communicators in joint-stock companies are the ones who use ethical codes the most.

Regarding the issue of cyber security, 75% of professionals believe that the issue is relevant to their daily work. Four out of 10 professionals have experienced cyber attacks or incidents of data theft in their own organization, and the most important concern of communicators from all sectors is possible criminal attacks on their online platforms and digital infrastructure 62% (overall)

On the important issue of gender equity at work: this study reports that in 64% of communication departments and agencies, the majority of professionals are women, but only one in two reaches managerial positions. It was also found that gender equality has improved significantly in Chile, Peru, and Venezuela; however, it was also found that more actions are necessary to improve in Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador, and Panama.

For professionals in the region, the most important strategic issues for communication management projected towards 2023 are: coping with the digital evolution and the social web; use big data and / or algorithms for communication; and explore new ways to create and distribute content. Regarding the Importance of communication channels and instruments today and in the future, communicators believe that mobile communication is advancing rapidly. Regarding relations with traditional media, participants believe that they are in recession.

Regarding the Competency development in the communication profession, the study reports that four out of five professionals in Latin America believe that constant improvement is necessary.

At the end of the session, the report on excellency in communication was presented, the study reports that only 23% of the communication departments of companies can be considered as an excellent communication department.

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Go to the LCM website

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