The role of social media in cultural journalism

Reporter Monica Mateos held a cultural journalism workshop at the Colegio Civil University Cultural Center as part of the UANL 2019 Summer School.

Monica Mateos has worked as a cultural journalist at the La Jornada newspaper for 28 years. She is an expert in social media data management and the community manager of the Mexican Mathematics Olympiad.

The aim of her workshop “Cultural journalism and other cyberspace skills” is to analyze how technology has transformed cultural journalism. Many technological tools, such as social media, give this type of journalism a wider broadcasting scope. It reaches bigger audiences with a variety of relevant topics in a real-time manner.

According to her, the Internet is like a masquerade because users usually don’t show their true selves but rather reflect the identities they build for themselves.

The reporter started the workshop by talking about the knowledge and work ethic a journalist applies to their job. She then discussed the basics of journalism, social media and its role as a tool, and a journalistic resource to deliver news.

Lastly, Mateos shared the story of when she posted a video about the lack of funding for students who wanted to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad. Thanks to the Internet, her post went viral and reached Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who later contacted Mateos to help fund the team.