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.
Gunmen killed the driver of a bus carrying seven journalists who were traveling to cover a campaign appearance by a presidential candidate. One of the reporters was injured when the bus flipped over. Monday's attack occurred when reporters from Port au Prince were driving to Gonaives for an appearance by Jacques Edouard Alexis, one of the leading candidates for the Nov. 28 presidential election. After killing the driver, the attackers stole money and a computer from the reporters, the Associated Press says. Three suspec
President Juan Manuel Santos revealed that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had been ordered to kill journalist Olga Cecilia Vega, who according to the group had infiltrated the FARC and worked for intelligence agencies from the United States, EFE and RCN Radio reported.
The Federal Police are working to indict journalist Amaury Ribeiro Júnior for his alleged role in violating the financial privacy of individuals linked to opposition presidential candidate José Serra, O Estado de S. Paulo and O Globo report.
A man identifying himself as the brother of the former state prosecutor of Chihuahua, Patricia González, declared in a video that he and his sister are part of the criminal organization “La Línea,” also known as the Juárez cartel, Milenio reports.
Journalists increasingly are turning to Twitter to break stories, and even write stories ignored by traditional mainstream media.
The legislature of the northern border state of Chihuahua unanimously passed several legal reforms that will punish those who kill on-duty police officers and journalists with life in prison, El Diario de Juárez and Milenio report.
The escalation of violence and drug cartel influence in Mexico means that for foreign correspondents, reporting in Mexico is no different than covering a war, said Tracy Wilkinson, Mexico City bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times. No one can be trusted, and "Baghdad rules" apply, she said. Get in, report, and get out.
With the violence unleashed by drug cartels profoundly impacting Mexico, both foreign and local journalists are trying to figure out how to cover a war of a different kind.
One the eve of the country’s Day of the Journalist, celebrated Oct. 23, President José Mujica said the press is “an absolutely necessary and indispensable evil” that shouldn’t be “tinkered” with, El País reports.
In order to comply with the constitution, banks had until this week to divest their stakes in the country’s media outlets leading to ownership changes for at least two TV stations, BBC Mundo and El Comercio report.
Police have arrested a man in Rio Grande do Norte state who has confessed to killing radio journalist Francisco Gomes de Medeiros on Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists reports. Gomes was a local radio news director and blogger who had reported on corruption and crime, including drug trafficking.