(AMARC/IFEX) – After demonstrating for a number of hours in front of the offices of the national telecommunications commission (Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, CONATEL), on the afternoon of 9 July 2002 representatives of community radio stations met with the commission and were able to come to an agreement on a number of points. The agreement […]
(AMARC/IFEX) – After demonstrating for a number of hours in front of the offices of the national telecommunications commission (Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, CONATEL), on the afternoon of 9 July 2002 representatives of community radio stations met with the commission and were able to come to an agreement on a number of points. The agreement was welcomed by the president of the Paraguayan community radio association (Asociacion Paraguaya de Radiodifusion, COMUNICA), Miriam Candia, who was at the meeting.
The delegation that visited CONATEL included representatives of the Radio Ñemity station, COMUNICA and the community radio network (Red de Radios Populares). They were accompanied by delegates from the Ombudsman’s Office, Amnesty International (Paraguay) and others. CONATEL President Victor Alcides Bogado signed an agreement promising to:
1. return the equipment confiscated from Radio Ñemity in Capiivary;
2. set up a round-table dialogue to standardise the operation of community radio stations in Paraguay;
3. in response to the written request for authorisation submitted by community radio stations, belonging to COMUNICA and the community radio network, CONATEL will issue a resolution stating that it will not take any action against the stations until the amendments to the Short and Medium-Range Broadcasting Frequencies By-law are in effect. This by-law applies to radio stations that are in fact community-based.
