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Mexico Is A Dangerous Place For Journalists

In the past 10 years, 28 journalists have been killed in Mexico as retaliation for their work, that’s according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Jan-Albert Hootsen, with the CPJ, says Mexico has the highest rate of crime against journalists in the Western Hemisphere.

He says there tends to be a high degree of impunity in crimes against the press.

“All in all, it’s above 95 percent, meaning that the vast majority of crimes go unpunished, which obviously incentives people who want to commit crimes against reporters or against news outlets — because basically they don’t get caught if they do.”

Hootsen talked with The Show about why journalists have less protection.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The interview's introduction mentions the death of journalist Santiago Barroso. Mexican authorities have said the motive in Barroso's killing had to do with personal relationships, not his work as a radio host and columnist.

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Lauren Gilger, host of KJZZ's The Show, is an award-winning journalist whose work has impacted communities large and small, exposing injustices and giving a voice to the voiceless and marginalized.