By Maira Magro
Brazil's National Federation of Journalists (Fenaj) and the Federation of Radio Broadcasters (Fitert) have petitioned the Supreme Court to rule that Congress must regulate articles of the Constitution dealing with communication. The articles specifically deal with the right of reply, the prohibition of media monopolies, and the creation of quotas for regional content on radio and TV broadcasts.
Jurist Fábio Comparato, who filed the petition, claims the media's abuse of power represents a danger for the preservation of democracy, because public opinion is formed “under the mental and emotional influence of the mass media's transmissions," Radioagência NP explains. For more information, see the Portuguese version of this post.
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.
