(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 1 May 2004, PERIODISTAS issued a statement expressing its concern over the cancelation of the presentation of a book entitled, “Vale Todo”, an unauthorised biography of journalist and businessman Daniel Hadad. Hadad is a shareholder in a number of radio stations, a television station and a Buenos Aires-based newspaper. On 24 April, […]
(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 1 May 2004, PERIODISTAS issued a statement expressing its concern over the cancelation of the presentation of a book entitled, “Vale Todo”, an unauthorised biography of journalist and businessman Daniel Hadad. Hadad is a shareholder in a number of radio stations, a television station and a Buenos Aires-based newspaper.
On 24 April, the book’s authors, Javier Romero and Romina Manguel, were unable to present the book at the International Book Fair.
On 22 April, Romero, accompanied by a notary public, went to the book fair’s offices to confirm that the publisher, Ediciones B, had decided to cancel the presentation and that there were no copies of the book in the Ediciones B stand. Ediciones B staff said the company had run out of copies. The book has been on the market since 26 January and was a best seller for several weeks.
The publisher claimed that the shortage of the book’s copies was temporary and was due to distribution problems.
Romero explained that the book has not been available since 19 April and that Ediciones B’s director-general, Pablo Dittborn, had told him that the company was under pressure from Hadad. As a result, the publishing house had decided to cancel the presentation and may not re-print the book. Romero told PERIODISTAS that Dittborn had said Hadad was threatening to initiate legal action. The book’s co-author said that the first publisher of the book, Editorial Planeta, had also been put under pressure and, as a result, had decided not to sell the book, even though it had already been printed.
Hadad is a shareholder in a number of media outlets, including Channel 9 television station and “Infobae” newspaper. He reportedly had supported former president Carlos Menem.
In its statement, PERIODISTAS condemned all overt or covert actions that threaten or limit freedom of expression. The organisation expressed support for the book’s writers and offered to provide them with legal assistance.
