(AMARC/IFEX) – On 29 November 2004, representatives of commercial radio and television stations, including Televisa and TV Azteca, expressed their concern to President Vicente Fox about the government’s intention to legalise a number of community radio stations. Most Mexicans have welcomed the government’s move as a step towards recognising citizens’ rights to express themselves freely. […]
(AMARC/IFEX) – On 29 November 2004, representatives of commercial radio and television stations, including Televisa and TV Azteca, expressed their concern to President Vicente Fox about the government’s intention to legalise a number of community radio stations. Most Mexicans have welcomed the government’s move as a step towards recognising citizens’ rights to express themselves freely.
According to Héctor Villarreal, director-general of the Interior Ministry’s Radio, Television and Cinematography Department (Radio, Televisión y Cinematografía, RTC), “the permits for the non-profit stations will be granted in accordance with the law and existing radio and television regulations. They will only be granted after the communities and groups that support the radio stations have submitted the proper documentation and fulfilled the necessary legal requirements.”
Despite the opposition to the move, the government seems intent on fulfilling the promises it made to AMARC and a number of human rights organisations in Mexico following a two-year negotiation process. The process is expected to commence in the next few days with the granting of licences to five community radio stations. Approximately 13 stations in total are expected to eventually receive government authorisation.
This is an important step but is still a long way from addressing the extensive media concentration in Mexico, a country of over 100 million people. Two companies, Televisa and TV Azteca, control 86 per cent of the open television market in the country, while 79 per cent of radio frequencies are owned by 14 groups.
Thirteen community radio stations, in addition to Radio Teocelo, which has been in operation for 40 years and has received a number of awards for its socially-oriented work, would not appear to be enough to counter the existing media concentration. Nevertheless, the business owners associated with the Radio and Television Industry Association (Cámara de la Industria de la Radio y la TV, CIRT) are exerting pressure to ensure that the permits are not granted.
