Mexico on the web: the electronic newsstand: part 1
Keeping up with Mexican news is often difficult for readers outside of Mexico. International wire services tend to sensationalize or ignore the country. At best they offer minimized coverage of whether or not Popo burped or how the Bolsa fared the previous day. For readers outside of Mexico, the best means of getting meaningful coverage is - without a doubt - reading Mexican papers via the Web. Some Mexican newspapers - reviewed below - have done a great job of putting their news on-line. Others, such as El Universal ( http://www.unam.mx/universal/), have only recently begun to take the Web seriously. For several months the English language section was an empty folder. When I e-mailed the webmaster, he responded, "Oh, that part of the site doesn't work." This section is now on-line--but surfer beware!
Most newspaper websites are free to the public, though a few charge on-line readers - El Norte ( http://www.infosel.com.mx/elnorte/) and Reforma ( http://www.infosel.com.mx/reforma/) in particular.
This month we review the Mexican news websites, to be followed next month with international sources and specialized newsletters. Get a cup of coffee and a pan dulce -- you're ready to read this morning's news.
The News
http://www.novedades.com.mx/the-news.htm
Rating: *** (out of 5 *)
As the country's oldest English-language daily newspaper, The News has been providing its service for almost 50 years. The paper continues to be a favorite with tourists and foreigners who have yet to learn Spanish. The website mirrors the daily paper with national, world, sports, living and environmental coverage ( http://www.novedades.com.mx/environm.htm). On the downside, only the current day's newspaper is available and sometimes the site is impossible to access.
Crónica
http://www.cronica.com.mx
Rating: ****
This Spanish-language website provides the daily news with searchable archives for the past year. Photos complement the text without being excessive in number or file size. This is one of my favorite sites - consistent information and it's easy to load. One of the best features of the paper is daily environmental coverage in the Ecologia section--the best of its kind in Mexico. The paper also features national, international and sports sections.
El Nacional
http://www.el-nacional.com.mx
Rating: ***
A government-funded newspaper, El Nacional is without a doubt the best source of insider information - provided you understand Spanish. Looking for presidential statements, analysis of cabinet programs? You'll find it here. You can also search the daily news or search through the electronic archives ( http://www.el-nacional.com.mx/anteriores/) dating back to mid-1997 when the paper came on-line.
In a very smart move, El Nacional has a special section for potential subscribers ( http://www.el-nacional.com.mx/suscripciones/). No information is given for international subscribers, but offering any subscription details at all is a good start and a model for other newspapers.
Notimex
http://notimex.notimex.com.mx/
Rating: **
The website of Notimex, the government's official news agency, should be much better. It's very slow to load the graphics, which are necessary to access the news. It's nice that you get to see the Mexican flag waving in the virtual wind, but it would be better if there were less gimmickry and more substance, which Notimex actually excels at. Hint--You can skip the home page by going directly to the search function ( busqueda) at http://notimex.notimex.com.mx/bnotimex.htm.
This is just a sample of what's on-line. Librarian Rita Wilson ( rlwls@alumni.si.umich.edu) has compiled a good list of Mexican newspapers divided by state. This directory can be found on-line at: http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~rlwls/mexstates2.html. A more exhaustive list of newspapers throughout Latin America is on-line at: http://www.lib.utsa.edu/Instruction/helpsheets/mexstates2.html.
This article originally appeared in Business Mexico magazine.
For subscription information,
visit their website at http://www.amcham.com.mx
or e-mail busmex@amcham.com.mx
