Argentine Media Law passes....

[the_future_modernes]

Listening Post - Argentina Media Law - 20 Nov 09

In part 2 of the show we look at a new law in Argentina that looks set to drastically alter the media landscape in the country and force the dominant Grupo Clarin to shed many of its holdings.

Is this a necessary overhaul of archaic rules or simply an attempt by the government of Christina Kirchner to silence its biggest critic.

A more optimistic look from an activist point of view

The 21 Points of the Coalition for Democratic Broadcast Regulation Are Now Law

Thousands of activists from social and political organizations, the two workers' centers of the country, human rights groups, national universities, intellectuals, artists, and journalists that supported the initiative came together in Argentina to the National Congress to join the debate that would end up turning the Audiovisual Communication Services Bill into law.
The vote in question ended in the early hours of the morning but, unlike other occasions, was not characterized by its opacity or lack of public awareness. To the contrary, the topic, which was covered by the media and went through months of discussions in forums and public assemblies organized by Parliament, had an impressive public attendance due to the ferocious campaign against the country's principal newspaper companies. Both those who drove the initiative as well as those who resisted it followed very closely the ratification of a law that was filmed by all TV channels every step of the way.

Success at Last

The law was approved October 10, seven months after President Cristina Fernández introduced the draft, the 18th of last March, for its discussion in public forums prior to its submission to Congress. The official initiative was inspired by the 21 points elaborated by the Coalition for Democratic Broadcast Regulation. Participating in this collective are community radio networks like the Argentine Forum for Community Radio Stations (FARCO) and the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Argentina (AMARC); cooperatives; press, TV, actors, and musician unions associated with the Argentine Workers' Center (CTA) and the General Confederation of Labor (CGT); social and human rights organizations; journalists and academics from around the country primarily in the field of communication.
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