In December 1998, the independent-minded magazine was sold because its advertising revenues had disappeared. Instead of trenchant political journalism, the magazine now runs more to Dilbert comic strips. But problems with advertisers also arise without government instigation. To write that a particular brand of automobile is the one most frequently stolen is to lose that brand's advertising. As a result, editors must often balance journalistic integrity against financial need.
Some editors print controversial business stories, but in a noticeably circumscribed manner.
For example, a negative story about a major local company might mention the company's name only in the main story, not in the headline. Guatemalan journalists need better education in order to learn the professional skills that will enable them to analyze current events dispassionately and in depth. The major Guatemalan universities offer journalism programs, but their quality is poor. But the Internet really opened the eyes of Guatemalan journalists. We who work in the written press owe it all to the Internet.