The New Media Law
A few days ago the Argentinian Senate approved the Law of Audiovisual Media, which establishes new regulations for open signal, cable, and satellite television and radio. Public opinion is deeply divided on this issue, as we find two main groups which can be considered polar opposites: basically, one of them claims that this new law attempts against the press and politicalfreedom, therefore increasing the power of the national government. On the other hand, the other firmly states that the new law will foster more pluralist media and the spread of democracy in our country.
Firstly, it is argued that the new law will curtail freedom of speech. Indeed, Argentina’s biggest media conglomerate, Clarìn, which must now let go a number of television channels, radio and a percentage of cable subscribers, has been providing completely negative coverage of the law, and other media and politicians belonging to the opposition have done so as well. However, it should be remarked that it is the previous order that has been regulating this market since the last dictatorship which has paved the way for the establishment and maintenance of private monopolies for the last three decades. For instance, Clarìn group itself is the owner of more than 250 media. Consequently, it can be found that most of the information we absorb every day comes from the same source. So I wonder, if thousands of journalists write according to the private interests of one owner, where is the freedom of the press?
Conversely, the new broadcasting law will fight against the concentration of media ownership by limiting the number of broadcasting licenses in the hands of media giants. Consequently, communication will become a public service, the airwaves will be diversified and one-third of the licenses will be issued to non-profit organizations, state broadcasters and small private companies. The result will be the guarantee of the right to varied communication and information.
Secondly, the opposing viewpoint states that the treatment of the media law shows the intention of the so-called “presidential couple” to erode the supposedly “scarce credibility of institutions” Moreover, those antithetical to the Media Law argue that its chief aim is to concentrate media ownership in the hands of the government, a fact which will in turn weaken democracy. Thus they claim that the new law is not only against the press but also against those who have opposing political views: “I’m convinced that this law attempts to abolish all free journalism in Argentina. Today it is against Clarìn and tomorrow it’ll be someone else. It’s not just a battle against one means of communication, they attempt to leave the country without freedom,” affirmed Elisa Carriò some days ago during the launch of the new Civic Coalition group-ARI.
Nevertheless, the law stipulates that at least 70 percent of radio content and television programming must be produced in the country, while requiring that cable TV stations have channels run by trade unions, universities, indigenous groups and other social organisations. As a consequence, social groups and minorities of all kinds will have a voice. We will get news from other parts of the country, too. Cultural diversity will be encouraged, which is one of the fundamental rights granted by the Constitution and one of the central pillars of a democratic government.
For the aforementioned reasons, I therefore conclude that the new Media Law does not promoteeither the restriction of the national press or a considerable influence of the government over the media. Contrariwise, the effects of the Media Law will be nothing but beneficial for the pres- and political and social equality. As the Cabinet Chief -Anìbal Fernàndez stated in a recent interview, the new law represents "a stride forward in Latin America against the increasing concentration of media ownership."
SCs and WRs_WT6
