The right to information and freedom of expression are guaranteed by liberal-inspired laws, but information pluralism suffers from public policy shortcomings and the concentration of media ownership. The Clarín group, the media industry’s main player, wields a great deal of influence over the media landscape. Outlets from the media groups La Nación, América, Indalo, Werthein, Fígoli, Octubre and Telefe are very popular, as well as the news site Infobae. The media are subject to pressure from both the government and businesses, particularly through private and public advertising. The closure of the leading public news agency Télam in 2024 dealt a heavy blow to the right to information. 

Freedom of expression is a principle valued by Argentines. In recent decades, political confrontation, polarisation and hate speech – driven by both political and business interests – have had a direct impact on the media sector by impoverishing the quality of analysis and information. Sensitive issues associated with a range of social, economic and political aspects of the country have been excluded from the public debate and the media’s agenda is now extremely focused on the big cities, especially Buenos Aires. Javier Milei, the far-right candidate elected president in 2023, is encouraging hostility towards journalists and delivering attacks aimed at discrediting the media and journalists critical of his policies – attacks that are widely echoed by his supporters. 

Press freedom is guaranteed by the constitution. Since 1983, when democracy was restored, legislation has freed itself from the authoritarian principles of the previous decades. The crimes of contempt, slander, and insult have been eliminated from the penal code. Compensation for false information or defamation is restricted to the civil sphere, and the confidentiality of sources and professional secrecy are guaranteed. Nonetheless, attempts are still made to silence journalists by more subtle means such as economic pressure. And little or no legislative progress has been made in limiting censorship. President Javier Milei has made it clear that he intends to close or privatise state-owned media and no longer fund community media, which would impoverish the news and information ecosystem. 

The Argentine media still suffer from the persistent economic difficulties of the past decade, which have made employment and resources more precarious. The most powerful media belong to a small number of conglomerates linked to the telecommunications and petroleum industries and the public works sector. Almost all regulations designed to combat media ownership concentration and media conflicts of interest were scrapped between 2015 and 2019. The state plays a murky role in the way it awards advertising, tax exemptions, and contracts. Entities that are supposed to defend the public, promote diversity and oversee the telecommunications market are very dependent on the government of the moment, and  most of them were dismantled by Milei’s government, as were the state programs that aimed to guarantee access to reliable information.

Argentina is a country marked by sharp contrasts, with the huge metropolis of Buenos Aires, which is home to 30% of the population, 20 medium-sized cities, and vast regions with low population density. While the entire country has access to contemporary culture, the conditions in which journalism is produced and disseminated vary greatly. Political polarisation and the rise of an ultra-conservative political movement led by Javier Milei have exacerbated intolerance and both virtual and real violence, often with the support of the police. 

No journalist has been killed since the murder of photojournalist José Luis Cabezas in 1997. Nor are there any detentions, apart from a few sporadic arrests during incidents, which are quickly lifted. Journalists can, however, be targeted by intimidation from criminal organisations (drugs, human trafficking and corruption of security forces) and police violence during large demonstrations. Assaults are generally more frequent in areas far from major cities. Journalists are often verbally abused, stigmatised, and harassed on social media.