Journalism and democracy facing common risks and challenges

Journalism is an essential activity for democracy and for the full exercise of freedom. However, it is threatened by several factors. The major one is the increasing fragmentation of the information environment. The phenomenon started in the 1990s with the introduction of the Internet on a large scale. From that period onwards: the main publications opened their contents, promoting the perception that information is free; instantaneity and interactivity changed the consumption patterns of information, dispersing public attention; diluted attention changed the media planning of advertisers; and proliferation of mobile devices deepened the dispersion. This article will not consider the undeniable social benefits offered by networks – or it will do it in a superficial way, as a necessary context. The focus will be on journalism dilemmas as an organized activity– as such, a private business with high public interest.