(IPYS/IFEX) – On the morning of 4 October 2006, the communications minister, María del Rosario Guerra, stated during an interview that, as part of the project to reform the National Television Commission, the possibility of setting up a body that would monitor the content of the programmes on the country’s private and community-based radio stations […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On the morning of 4 October 2006, the communications minister, María del Rosario Guerra, stated during an interview that, as part of the project to reform the National Television Commission, the possibility of setting up a body that would monitor the content of the programmes on the country’s private and community-based radio stations is being analyzed. The project proposal will be presented to Congress shortly.
According to Guerra, the proposal was made in response to the complaints of people whose reputation has been affected by the content of certain news programmes or the opinions of journalists.
The minister declared that she respects freedom of expression, that the government of President Álvaro Uribe has proven it also does, and that they would continue to guarantee this right. But she stated that, given citizens’ complaints, the communications ministry is obliged to act.
IPYS considers that press freedom would be endangered by the state regulation of media information. Creating adequate mechanisms to avoid any excesses that may be committed when exercising this right is the responsibility of the media and civil society.
