By Ingrid Bachmann
The nation’s highest court unanimously upheld a ruling that obliges the state to omit discriminatory criteria and to maintain “reasonable balance” in allocating government advertising, Hoy newspaper and EFE report.
The ruling stems from a 2007 case brought by the publisher Editorial Perfil, whose holdings include Perfil newspaper. The company had petitioned that it not be excluded from receiving government advertising. In Perfil's view, the government of then-President Néstor Kirchner was punishing the company’s critical stance.
The Supreme Court’s ruling upholds a decision from a 2009 appeal and suggests that to guarantee freedom of expression the government cannot distribute state advertising arbitrarily, La Voz adds.
The Argentine Association of Journalistic Entities (ADEPA) praised the ruling and emphasized that the discretionary use of official advertising means in practice “covert pressure on the editorial line of media.”
Other Related Headlines:
» Government says it will comply with ruling favoring Perfil (Perfil)
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.
