The Notimex news agency was created in August 1968 in the framework of the Olympic Games of that year when Mexico was the host country. Since 2020, due to labor- and pay-related conflicts, Notimex has been on a roller coaster, experiencing frequent staff strikes and intermittent activity. Notimex has correspondents covering the world as well as the Mexican local affairs. The agency’s news content is picked up by several national and local newspapers as well as by some broadcasters.


Media assets

News agency: Notimex

State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)


Ownership and governance

The director of Notimex is nominated by the President of the Republic, its appointment requiring Senate approval. The position is immovable except for serious misdeeds.

The key authority in Notimex is the Governing Board whose composition consists, in majority, of direct representatives of the federal government. The body has seven members, four of whom are members of the government (one representative of each public education ministry, ministry of the interior, ministry of finance and foreign affairs ministry). The other three members are appointed by each of the following: National Electoral Institute (a public autonomous body), Editorial Advisory Council (which is made up of citizens) and trade unions. The agency must follow all the decisions of the Governing Board.

Source of funding and budget

Notimex sells subscriptions to private media and public institutions, but most of its annual income (over 50%) comes from the government budget. In 2022, it was allocated a state subsidy of MXN 228.1m (US$ 11.2m), according to data from the government.

Editorial independence

Notimex has an overtly pro-government bias. It runs corruption investigations only if they involve previous (not current) government officials. Its governing board exerts editorial pressure on the agency’s staff.

A scandal in the past year erupted over the use of bots and anonymous accounts on social networks to harass former agency staff, allegedly ordered by the agency’s director. The saga prompted criticism from international NGOs such as Article 19. The renowned Mexican journalist, Carmen Aristegui, covered the topic in her radio show and on her news portal. The President of the Republic defended Sanjuana Martínez, director of Notimex, and decided to keep her in office despite strong evidence of misdemeanor. In the past two years, although the activity of the agency has been partly paralyzed by a series of employee strikes, the agency continued to receive funds and support from the government. Nevertheless, journalists point out that the government is aware of the crisis at the agency (moreover, the staff in the President’s office do not seem to like Ms Martínez, hence she might be offered to leave for a position of ambassador abroad) and plans to make sweeping changes. In April 2023, Mexico’s president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced that the government is going to shut down Notimex. He explained that the agency is not needed as his daily morning press conference is sufficient to inform Mexicans.

According to article 1 of the law that establishes Notimex, the agency has “operational and decision-making autonomy.” Article 6 states that “any information generated or transmitted by the Agency by any means of communication shall be carried out with absolute editorial independence from any of the powers” and be based on the principles of “truthfulness, impartiality, objectivity, plurality, equity and responsibility.” However, these rules are not implemented in practice.

As required by law, Notimex has a Code of Ethics and an Editorial Advisory Council, consisting of 13 citizens nominated by media, academia and civil organizations, but appointed by the agency’s Board of Government whose majority of voting members are part of the government.

August 2023