By Ingrid Bachmann
Ecuador's communication bill has entered, in theory, the final stretch, but ruling and opposition forces remain at odds, divided over the proposal's future, reported El Comercio.
The opposition, which is questioning the legality of the fourth extension to debate of the bill by the National Assembly's vice president Rolando Panchana, has not managed to block discussion, which would have killed the bill, explained El Universo.
So far the bill has garnered 57 promised votes, but 63 are needed for approval, added Voz de América.
However, according to an editorial in El Tiempo, what remains unclear is whether the final bill will include "questionable points" such as the presence of government representatives on the Communication Council, criteria for truthfulness, and the lack of regulations for official government advertising.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
