Cultivating sources. Verifying claims. Staying safe. After the death of El Mencho, four journalists share their approach to this difficult, dangerous work.
Why This Matters
The recent death of El Mencho, a notorious Mexican cartel leader, highlights the risks and challenges faced by journalists covering organized crime. The New York Times has a long history of in-depth reporting on cartels and other criminal enterprises, but the methods behind their coverage are not always transparent. This story sheds light on the approach taken by four Times journalists to cultivate sources, verify claims, and stay safe in the face of danger.
In Week 9 2026, Health & Safety accounted for 50 related article(s), with UK Politics setting the broader headline context. Coverage of Health & Safety decreased by 33 article(s) versus the prior week, but remained material in the weekly agenda.
Coverage Snapshot
Week 9 2026 included 50 Health & Safety article(s). Leading outlets for this topic included Fox News, BBC, NY Times. Across that cluster, sentiment showed a mostly neutral skew (avg score -0.05).
Key Insights
Tone & Sentiment
The article tone is classified as negative, driven by the language and emphasis in the summary. The sentiment score of -0.22 indicates the strength of that tone.
Context
The rise of organized crime has been a growing concern in recent years, with many outlets devoting significant resources to covering the issue. The New York Times has been at the forefront of this coverage, publishing detailed investigations into the inner workings of cartels and other criminal organizations. Other outlets, such as the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, have also dedicated extensive coverage to the topic, often highlighting the human impact of cartel violence. The media's reaction to this story has been largely focused on the bravery and dedication of journalists who risk their lives to report on these issues.
Related Topics
Key Takeaway
In short, this article underscores key movement in Health & Safety and explains why it matters now.