Abstract

SCHULIAQUER, IVÁN. Political communication in Uruguay. Jose Mujica, the media and the journalism. Inmediac. Comun [online]. 2022, vol.17, n.1, pp.55-79.  Epub June 01, 2022. ISSN 1510-5091.  https://doi.org/10.18861/ic.2022.17.1.3228.

This article explores the political communication of José Mujica during his presidency (2010-2015) in Uruguay and seeks to answer why, contrary to what happened with the others governments of the “Left-turn” in South America, he managed to participate in the mainstream national media in ways that he found beneficial. The work, which arises from an extensive investigation that includes interviews with 32 key actors of the relationship between media and politics in Uruguay, indicates that two main issues converged for this. First of all, the configuration of the Uruguayan media system. Both because of the strong relative weight of the State regarding media companies and because of the "journalism of declaration", which considers that its main task is to obtain the statements of the actors of institutional and party politics. This allows the president to define several conditions of his media appearances. Secondly, Mujica's artisanal handling of political communication, characterized by his direct and atypical style and his audience success, but also by a prior relationship of trust with four political journalists who worked in conservative media. It was a relationship of mutual convenience that allowed the president to reach an audience that he considered strategic and that allowed journalists to get scoops and distinguish themselves within their field.

Keywords : Political communication; José Mujica; Media; Journalism; Uruguay.

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