American media gradually leaving Tijuana behind

Reporting on Tijuana is not as dangerous as it looks, says TijuanaPress.com co-founder Vicente Calderón, but it's still like covering a conflict zone, "There's not two clear factions fighting each other," he says. "You just have to be doubly cautious. You have to be aware that they are reading what you're doing." Calderón also tells Voice of San Diego that there's a mixed message about media coverage in his part of Mexico right now

Every year, American media is becoming more and more reliant on second-hand reporting. There are a lot less reporters assigned to Tijuana than in the past.

I know that because I used to work with a lot of them on daily pieces. Now it needs to be a whole project for them to be able to be assigned to Tijuana.

For example, AP and Reuters, they have nobody based here now.

But in Tijuana, it's ironic. At the same time, I see a lot of advancement. When I began working as a reporter, the government control of the media was a lot more strict. Now you can practically print whatever you want. You have to deal with the consequences, but the government was much more politically controlling before.

Calderón partners with TV stations in San Diego, Los Angeles and London and field produces stories in Tijuana for outlets around the world.

Photo: Voice of San Diego/Roberto (Bear) Guerra