Independent journalists discuss the challenges and values of their profession

Seven independent journalists agreed that working outside traditional media has been a way to regain their professional autonomy, tell stories of those who are marginalized, and create informative spaces with a social purpose. These perspectives were shared as part of the first forum during Press Week, an event organized by the Puerto Rico Journalists Association (Asppro, in Spanish), which was held at the Sagrado Corazón University in Santurce.

The panel was moderated by Asppro president Nydia Bauzá Santiago and journalist Laura Quintero, and featured Omaya Sosa Pascual, Sandra Rodríguez Cotto, José E. Maldonado Marrero, Carmen Enid Acevedo, Sandra Caquías, Amary Santiago Torres, and Camille Padilla Dalmau.

During the forum, the journalists shared their experiences in founding their own media outlets, the economic challenges they face, the need to tell stories that are not included in the traditional press, and the risks associated with practicing their profession in an increasingly hostile environment.

"Being an independent journalist means having the agency, the power to choose which story I want to cover. In traditional media, what I found were toxicities that literally made me sick and depressed," said Camille Padilla Dalmau, founder of the digital solutions journalism outlet 9 Millones.

Along these lines, Sosa Pascual—co-founder of NotiCel, the Center for Investigative Journalism, and founder of Es Mental—commented that practicing independent journalism within traditional structures is often unfeasible. “It is difficult for an independent journalist to create independent journalism within a commercial media outlet,” she said.

Rodríguez Cotto, creator of En Blanco y Negro con Sandra, also denounced external interventions that limit journalistic work in these spaces. “They tell you how to tell a story, what to leave out, and what not to touch,” she added.

One of the recurring themes of the panel was how independent media outlets have managed to define their own niches and approaches. Amary SantiagoTorres, co-founder of the feminist journalism outlet Todas, explained how they have been able to give visibility to stories of women in all their diversity and of LGBTQI+ people who rarely find spaces in traditional media. “We wanted to see the story of the female caregiver, who does not have a salary because she has dedicated herself to caring for her family. That story is not easily found,” she explained.

Financial sustainability was another central theme of the discussion. Carmen Enid Acevedo, creator of Bonita Radio, highlighted the importance of building supportive communities around projects. “Our project is based on the idea that the people we really need to be here are the people we talk to and explain to them why journalism is important,” she said. She also pointed out that many journalists were not trained to be media owners, but rather to follow instructions within established structures.

The panelists shared different strategies for sustaining their media outlets: from memberships and subscriptions to partnerships with organizations, always with the goal of preserving editorial independence.

In addition, they discussed the challenges they face in accessing information, censorship, and discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, or ideological stances. José E. Maldonado Marrero, creator of Ey Boricua, warned that “censorship will come to Puerto Rico” and that threats against journalists will continue to increase. Rodríguez Cotto added that “they attack you for being a woman, for being part of the LGBTQI+ community, or for any reason that serves as an excuse.”

At the end of the forum, Bauzá Santiago reaffirmed the mission of the independent press. “It is the people we really need to reach with these messages and this information,” she said.

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