(Periodistas/IFEX) – During the last week of September 2000, the Federal Broadcasting Committee (Comité Federal de Radiodifusion, COMFER) began summary proceedings against the Cronica TV and Canal 7 television stations, and against the production of the programme Marcapazos. Cronica was sanctioned for having broadcast the particulars of an event organised by the neo-nazi party New […]
(Periodistas/IFEX) – During the last week of September 2000, the Federal Broadcasting Committee (Comité Federal de Radiodifusion, COMFER) began summary proceedings against the Cronica TV and Canal 7 television stations, and against the production of the programme Marcapazos. Cronica was sanctioned for having broadcast the particulars of an event organised by the neo-nazi party New Triumph (Partido Nuevo Triunfo, PNT). The proceedings were brought against the state channel because of statements made by an interviewee about the nation’s president. COMFER was acting in accordance with articles 5, 14 and 18 of the current broadcasting law, which regulates the content, purpose and type of information broadcast on radio and television.
In a 2 October press conference, PERIODISTAS protested the actions taken against the television stations, indicating that such measures constitute a violation of the constitutional principles that protect freedom of expression. “This law was created during the last military dictatorship. Not only does it contain restrictive and obsolete provisions, but it also clearly contradicts freedom of expression principles contained in international treaties and incorporated into our Constitution in 1994. This is a gag law, and its continued unmodified existence is an impediment to working towards a democracy that encompasses broad and unrestricted freedom of information”, PERIODISTAS noted in a statement.
For almost one year, COMFER has been publicly expressing the need for a new broadcasting law. Nevertheless, the committee has opted to use the current law to take action against the television stations. Moreover, it has enabled the state to assume the right to assess and supervise the content of information, a move which PERIODISTAS considers to be “unacceptable under our legal system”.
PERIODISTAS strongly protested and expressed its alarm over all types of neo-nazi declarations, made at the international or local level. At the same time, the organisation noted that the justice system is responsible for analysing the offensive statements that were made by the head of the PNT, Alejandro Biondini, under the authority of the laws which prohibit discrimination and defend democracy.
“But this does not justify COMFER’s holding the media and journalists responsible for the statements or actions of third parties, through measures which coerce the broadcasters to engage in self-censorship in order to prevent the transmissions of statements made during an interviewed or by those who appear on the programme. Such restrictions constitute a permanent threat against live programming. It is essential that the debate over the new broadcasting law contributes to the elimination of the provisions which were created during the years of repression”, PERIODISTAS concluded.
