This article describes the context that the city of Chihuahua, Mexico witnessed
during the years 2007-2012 regarding the war that took place between the Mexican
government and organized crime groups; centering the analysis on the particular
role that the different types of newspapers (digital and printed) played on
informing the violence that resulted from such conflict. This peculiar context gave
way to a particular form of seeking and informing the news (journalist point of
view) and the way the audience participated, perceived and even witnessed the
conflict first hand (the audience point of view). The main theoretical framework
utilized to describe this case study is trough sociology of risk and uncertainty as
well as the anthropology of violence and war. To fully comprehend the complexities
of such context, and the social role the journalist and the audience played during
the conflict, the main methodological approach utilized is ethnography as well as
discourse and content analysis. This particular case provides a unique
understanding of how a peculiar form of the free press was given way by a conflict
that involved many sectors of society.