(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 28 December 2003, Edgardo Carmona, the Rosario Press Union’s secretary-general, (vs. secretary-general of the Rosario Press Union, received a letter from a media group headed by businessmen Daniel Vila and José Luis Manzano. The letter referred to statements Carmona had made to Canal 9 television station, based in Mendoza, regarding the bankruptcy […]
(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 28 December 2003, Edgardo Carmona, the Rosario Press Union’s secretary-general, (vs. secretary-general of the Rosario Press Union, received a letter from a media group headed by businessmen Daniel Vila and José Luis Manzano. The letter referred to statements Carmona had made to Canal 9 television station, based in Mendoza, regarding the bankruptcy of the Rosario-based daily “El Ciudadano”, one of the media outlets under the control of the Vila-Manzano consortium. Carmona was informed that the media group has filed a complaint against him for defamation and has launched an action against the press union, aimed at having him fired from his post at the daily “La Capital de Rosario”, which is also controlled by the Vila-Manzano group.
PERIODISTAS expressed its support for Carmona, who is being harassed for publicly defending media workers and speaking out against media concentration. While refraining from commenting on union/company relations, PERIODISTAS condemns the actions against Carmona. The organisation reminds the letter’s authors that employees do not relinquish their constitutional right to express their opinion as a consequence of being employed by a particular company.
According to PERIODISTAS, actions of this type, directed againt a press union leader, extend beyond a contractual disagreement and suggest that an attempt to intimidate those who are critical of media concentration may be behind the company’s decision.
