IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DUTY. JOURNALISTIC VISUAL NARRATIVES IN TIMES OF WAR, IMAGE ANALYSIS IN A CONTEXT OF VIOLENCE IN MEXICO

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the narrative structure of journalistic photographs, published in native digital media and online, with reference to protests and mobilizations by the Mexican journalistic guild against the wave of homicides, disappearances and intimidation journalists suffered during the first three presidential terms of the twenty-first century. After the second president of the country, who was from a right-wing party, made a declaration of war against “organized crime and drug trafficking,” the reported occurrences of such crimes doubled compared to the previous presidential term, an increase that was repeated during the following administration. Drawing on theories of framing, as well as semiotics and photographic production, the article proposes six narrative categories based on an analysis of fourteen photographic images (selected from a corpus of fifty) from various news portals. This analysis illuminates how journalists can construct visual narratives to connote, directly and indirectly, wars or military conflicts. The article ultimately argues that, faced with the inaction of federal and state governments to resolve cases and detain ringleaders as well as material perpetrators, this guild has redefined journalistic homicides as acts of dying in battle; they have done so as a way to recognize and dignify their work in the face of attempts to discredit victims by assigning them criminal motives outside their professional practice. In short, in these photographs, journalists who are victims are framed within the meta-narrative of compliance within the line of duty.