Ana Paulina Ramírez García, coordinator of the local newspaper, El Diario de Quintana Roo, spoke with the students about the role of newspapers in Cozumel.Photo by COJMC student Andrew Abraham

Students visit Mexican newspaper

June 6, 2007
By Andrew Abraham, junior advertising major

Just a few miles inland from Cozumel's main port, away from the hectic tourist district and busy plazas, is El Diario de Quintana Roo, the island's 24-year-old newspaper. The newspaper is one of six circulated on the island.

Four reporters write five stories for the eight page Cozumel section of El Diario de Quintana Roo. Though its daily circulation may only be 500 among the 100-thousand people that live on Cozumel, it claims to be one of the island's most popular newspapers.

The front page of El Diario de Quintana Roo. Photo by COJMC student Andrew Abraham

Due to a restriction-free content policy, it is not uncommon to see nudity, death, and gore in many of the periodicals sold by street vendors. However, El Diario de Quintana Roo has a reputation for being very conservative in its content.

It is this conservative angle, say newspaper employees, that has made El Diario de Quintana Roo such a success.

	The Mexico study abroad class visits the east shore of Cozumel. (from left to right) Professor Phyllis Larsen, and students Hannah Peterson, Andrew Abraham, Tana Tipton, Audrey Pribnow, Natalie Sorensen, Courtney Rodgers, Lisa Millard.

Aside from the language barrier, Mexican newspapers look very similar to newspapers in Lincoln. Large headlines and colorful photos grab your eye. News and feature articles run in similar column fashion, and the layout of graphics and copy appear very balanced.

Businesses and citizens can buy advertising space for promotions or announcements. Buying a small classified ad space to publicly congratulate a friend or relative on recent accomplishment is also very popular. Larger advertising space can run from $113 for an eighth of a page to $1,100 for a full-page ad in the daily newspaper.

As is the case with many large American cities, the newspapers here are delivered to street vendors and local businesses. They arrive by boat from the printing press on the mainland 12 miles away. When they arrive, one delivery boy is responsible for delivering the paper around the island.

Ana Paulina Ramírez García, the coordinator for the newspaper, explained that during the hurricane season, transporting the newspaper becomes too risky.

"If we need to bring it (the newspaper) in, we would have it air delivered or not delivered at all."