Is Journalism Making Its Workers Sick? Labor Conditions and Mental Health in Mexico and Spain

Abstract

In recent years, precarious employment in the media industry has become a global phenomenon. Based on 48 interviews with journalists from Mexico and Spain, this article explores how working conditions affect journalists’ well-being. Professionals unanimously confirm a worsening of mental health in the past 5 years. Although coverage of the pandemic has served as an escape valve, exposing this problem, interviewees stress that its root causes lie in the ongoing decline in labor conditions, driven by the crisis of the media business model and digitalization. Journalists report symptoms similar to those experienced by war correspondents, yet media companies have taken no action to support their employees’ mental health. Findings show that psychological distress in journalism extends beyond conflict coverage and stems from the broader context of job insecurity. This article invites reflection on the consequences of a profession marked by exhaustion, harassment, and lack of corporate care.