Building the Fourth Estate

"This is the first book of its kind to portray the relationship between the media and the state, the changing behavior of the media in the 1990s, and the consequences of these changes for Mexico's democratic transformation. Lawson's work is based on original field research, extensive interviews with relevant actors, and on a survey research project on citizen attitudes toward the media and politics. The book is clearly written, lays out the major arguments, and provides an in-depth analysis. This timely and provocative work is essential reading for understanding a democratic Mexico in the 21st century."--Roderic Ai Camp, author of Mexico's Mandarins: Crafting a Power Elite for the Twenty-First Century

"A dramatic transformation has recently taken place in Mexican politics culminating, for the first time, in the election of an opposition candidate and ending 70 years of one-party rule. Lawson's book is a richly detailed account of the role of the media in this transition. It raises extremely interesting questions about the media's influence on emerging democracies that should be of wide interest well beyond the community of Mexico specialists. It's the best account yet of this dramatic transformation."--Dan Hallin, author of The "Uncensored War": The Media and Vietnam

Chappell Lawson is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.