(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 7 November 2002, the Federal Broadcasting Committee (Comité Federal de Radiodifusion, COMFER) penalised Television Registrada, a programme on the television station América TV, for statements made on the air by actor Gerardo Romano. The programme could be fined up to 200,000 pesos (approx. US$60,000). The summary proceeding against the programme is based […]
(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 7 November 2002, the Federal Broadcasting Committee (Comité Federal de Radiodifusion, COMFER) penalised Television Registrada, a programme on the television station América TV, for statements made on the air by actor Gerardo Romano. The programme could be fined up to 200,000 pesos (approx. US$60,000).
The summary proceeding against the programme is based on Articles 5 and 17 of the National Broadcasting Law, which was created under the last military dictatorship. COMFER has expressed the need for a new broadcasting law that is more in line with the country’s current political, social and technological circumstances. Nonetheless, the broadcasting authority has applied the law several times, enabling the government to control media content. For example, in October 2000, summary proceedings began against the Cronica TV and Canal 7 television stations because of statements made by interviewees and hosts. Freedom of expression organisations denounced the cases and were able to dissuade the authorities from implementing sanctions.
PERIODISTAS noted that “these measures violate freedom of expression because they hold the media and journalists responsible for statements or actions of third parties. The current law coerces broadcasters to engage in self-censorship in order to prevent the transmission of statements by interviewees.”
PERIODISTAS called on COMFER to review its position and reminded the broadcasting authority of the need for a new broadcasting law. “The current legislation contains restrictive and obsolete clauses and its content contradicts tenets of freedom of expression guaranteed in international treaties that were incorporated into the 1994 Constitution,” stated PERIODISTAS.
