Forums > General > General Forum

alcuban

Mar 22, 2005, 7:11 PM

Post #1 of 5 (1126 views)

Shortcut

News from the States

Can't Post | Private Reply

Out of curiosity, how has the Mexican media played the Schiavo story, and what has been the reaction of the Mexican public (if it's possible to tell)? Does the Mexican media follow American current events very closely? Do expats generally follow what is going on up here or do they tend to disconnect? (Wouldn't blame them for disconnecting; there is so much bad news). Just curious.

esperanza

Mar 22, 2005, 8:03 PM

Post #2 of 5 (1110 views)

Shortcut

Re: [alcuban] News from the States

Can't Post | Private Reply

Here is what La Jornada from Mexico City had to say today about the Schiavo case.

http://www.jornada.unam.mx/.../050322/040n1mun.php

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

johanson

Mar 22, 2005, 8:16 PM

Post #3 of 5 (1106 views)

Shortcut

Re: [alcuban] News from the States

Can't Post | Private Reply

I can't tell you what my Mexican friends say, because most conversations I have with them have to do with what is happening around town. In fact most talk with my Mexican friends here in Ajijic the last few days has been about all of the folks coming to town for the Easter Weekend and the Lirio in the Lake.

Most folks from the US and Canada have access to US and Canadian television. So we all probably know more about it than we want to. This morning at the breakfast table where 8 to 12 of us sit, it's sort of like a Denny's, we discussed the Schiavo story, although some had formed opinions on both sides, the vast majority be they Dem. or Rep. (NPD or) were fed up that the Government had gotten involved, many thinking it was done purely for political reasons.

Understand that you can often watch many if not all of the same TV stations and listen to the same radio stations down here that one does up North. For example the two TV stations I watch most up north are CBUT channel 2 Vancouver, and KING Channel 5 Seattle. I continue watch them and about 85% of the others that I could watch up there, down here, in fact I watch Seattle's channel 5 in HDTV, in Ajijic. My two favorite radio stations up north are CIOC 98.5 FM Victoria and KING 98.1 FM Seattle. I continue to listen to them down here in Ajijic.

Should you choose, you can stay as informed as you want. And I think most of us do.

(This post was edited by johanson on Mar 22, 2005, 8:20 PM)

donwilliston

Mar 23, 2005, 8:37 AM

Post #4 of 5 (1026 views)

Shortcut

Re: [johanson] News from the States

Can't Post | Private Reply

I agree with what Pete Johanson posted. It seems to be the same here as in the U.S. There are some people who want to know the news and some who don’t; local and international news is available for those who want it. (I watch CNN).

It’s my impression that many expats stay informed and are aware – but with a little “disconnection” as a side order.

Most of my personal contact is with Mexican nationals and the Schiavo case has not come up. But it is certainly my impression that Mexicans have a more accurate view of the U.S. than visa versa. When I take a taxi the driver often asks “Where are you from, where is your family?” When I answer “Georgia” the response from the driver is “Ah, Atlanta” Needless to say that the reverse situation would be very different. How many U.S. taxi drivers know where Sinaloa is?

---
"It's good enough to be true" Gracie Maurahan 1970
---

Bubba

Mar 23, 2005, 9:55 AM

Post #5 of 5 (1006 views)

Shortcut

Re: [donwilliston] News from the States

Can't Post | Private Reply

As of yesterday, cable TV subscribers in the Lake Chapala area started receiving BBC World which is a huge improvement over the insipid CNN domestic coverage we also get on cable here. As I have traveled about in Mexico, I have also found BBC World on certain cable systems in certain cities along with CNN in Spanish and, at times, CNN International which is more balanced and mature in its coverage that the domestic CNN broadcast. I have rarely seen the CNN U.S. domestic feed in my travels around Mexico except in the greater Guadalajara area.

The Mexican press has been reporting on the Schiavo matter, at times, giving it some prominence as a headline event in interior "Internacional" sections of metropolitan dailies. It is typical, in my experience, to see front pages of metropolitan dailies in Mexico devoted to national and state political news or scandals and dramatic crimes local to the particular city. Interior sections are usually broken down into news of the local community, the states, business, events of secondary national interest and sports. Today's Guadalajara daily MURAL, headlined the most recent events in the Schiavo soap opera followed in prominence with a report on the latest regarding the Pope's health decline. I think the sort of internecine warfare represented by the Schiavo fiasco coupled with attendant shameless political opportunism strikes a chord with the Mexican public who dearly love their soap operas and shameless politicians.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Mar 23, 2005, 1:43 PM)