Community radio stations harassed, monopoly of frequency ownership likely to increase

(SPP/IFEX) – Commenting on the situation confronting alternative or community radio stations over the last few days, the SPP noted that governmental authorities appear to have no interest in democratising the concession of radio station frequencies in the country, and moreover, the suppression of community radio stations by the State has intensified. The SPP condemned […]

(SPP/IFEX) – Commenting on the situation confronting alternative or community radio stations over the last few days, the SPP noted that governmental authorities appear to have no interest in democratising the concession of radio station frequencies in the country, and moreover, the suppression of community radio stations by the State has intensified.

The SPP condemned a judicial order calling for the confiscation of the FM Trinidad community radio station’s equipment, which was put forth by the telecommunications regulatory board, CONATEL. In recent months, a number of other community radio stations have had some of their equipment removed by this official entity.

The judicial order to confiscate FM Trinidad’s equipment comes at a time when CONATEL is holding a public action of only 108 frequencies for community radios in the whole country. According to SPP, this measure does not address the current problem of access by alternative or community broadcasters, because the frequencies being granted are of very low capacity – only 20 to 30 watts compared to commercial radio stations which operate at 1,000 to 25,000 watts.

CONATEL’s increasingly authoritarian position is likely due to the pressure it is facing from commercial radio stations to close community broadcasters, while forgetting that all sectors of society have the right to access radio frequencies, as guaranteed by the Agreement of San José, Costa Rica, ratified by Paraguay, and by the Constitution.

The Executive branch of government, via CONATEL, and the owners of commercial radio stations, are violating the right of alternative and community broadcasters to equal access, as stipulated by national and international legal norms on the distribution of radio frequencies, and are in effect strengthening the monopoly of ownership.

The SPP has demanded that the persecution of community broadcasters be stopped, and has called for democratic and participatory regulations which guarantee equal access to radio frequencies, for the respect of the universal and constitutional right to freedom of expression, and for the media to act according to democratic norms.