Journalistic story and environmental movements in the province of Azuay-Ecuador.

Abstract

In the province of Azuay, one of the axes of social mobilization is related to the defense of the territory against mining exploitation. At least two large-scale mining projects have been defined as strategic for the Ecuadorian state, they are called Loma Larga and Río Blanco. This reality has caused intense socio-environmental conflicts that result in the mobilization and articulation of relationships between different actors such as rural communities, environmental groups, decision makers, indigenous and peasant movements. In this scenario, the local press has played an important role in the treatment of information on the subject, while environmental movements disputed media spaces to position the defense of water. In these spaces of social conflict, it was necessary to know the media treatment related to the mining exploitation proposals and the perspective of the members of the environmental movement of Azuay regarding the media treatment of issues related to metal mining in areas of high environmental sensitivity.

Keywords:

Metal Mining, Environmental Movements, Social Mobilization, Mass media.