"Medio Colombiano": Columbian Media

I interviewed Juan Gomez, a student from Ibagué, Colombia. He is on a bowling scholarship. He first came to the United States three years ago to both bowl and study English. He mentioned various aspects of media in Colombia.

Entertainment
Although he believes that many of the television programs watched in America are quite dim-witted reality television shows, he does have to admit that other than reality television, American programs are entertaining. However, in Colombia, like many countries around the world, they have their own versions of shows like American Idol and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
The worst perception he probably had of American university life was the one portrayed in American Pie. He also believed that because in American movies, transportation is a constant, that transportation would be infinite in every city and town. American movies always show taxi’s, buses, and subways as most common aspects of American life. “Also, here in America, Hollywood movies are endless. In Colombia, I watch many more Novelas (soap operas) and documentaries.”

Radio
Just as American radio stations are divided by genre or content, Colombian radio stations are divided the same way. One of Juan’s favorite radio stations is La Mega.
The greatest difference between American and Colombian entertainment media is probably the music. He says that the few artists he listens to both in Colombia and America are international artists such as Maroon 5 and Colombian artist Shakira.

News
In Colombia, they focus more on international news than American news. “The United States deals constantly with issues that pertain directly to the United States, whereas in Colombia, both national and international news are given an equal amount of time and importance in television.”
The RCN is a television news program that is both available in Spanish and English. It is produced in Colombia and is watched via the internet daily by American citizens.




Colombian newspapers have many opinion columns, but the newspapers are impartial to certain political parties, unlike American newspapers where some written media focuses on certain political organizations and policies. The most popular of these newspapers is found online at El Tiempo.

Free Press
Though Colombia may be a dangerous place for journalists compared to the United States, the media is still protected by Freedom of the Press. Neither government parties nor officials have the power to decide what is allowed in the news. In fact, government officials have their chance to speak about certain laws and policies going into effect, before the news begins. Afterwards, a priest blesses the people and says a few words of grace before the top of the hour news begins.

When Juan was speaking about the differences between American and Columbian media, I realized that these were the same observations I made when I compared American and Mexican media. Though I am not technically labeled as an International student, I am frequently mistaken for one. My culture is entirely Mexican-based. I listen to more music in Spanish than in English; I watch the news in Spanish; my mother and I watch Novelas as well as La Academia, which is the Mexican version of American Idol.

Journalists in Mexico are probably the worst off in Latin America; journalists are murdered because of stories they’ve written about certain political groups, law enforcement groups, and especially organized crime groups, particularly drug traffickers. Freedom of the Press exists in Mexico, yet lately, crime has deterred journalists from completing their stories and even their lives.