In the lead-up to the Oct. 3 Brazilian elections, industry groups have released reports documenting threats to free expression in the country.
Thirty armed police officers in Tocantins state attempted to stop the circulation of Veja magazine for reporting on allegations involving the state’s incumbent gubernatorial candidate, Carlos Gaguim (PMDB), writes Veja blogger Reinaldo Azevedo.
Beto Richa (PSDB), a candidate for governor of Paraná state won an Electoral Court ruling preventing media outlets from publishing poll results by several media outlets including Vox Popili, commissioned by TV Bandeirantes; Datafolha, commissioned by Folha de S. Paulo; and Ibope, commissioned by RPCTV; Terra and iG report. The polls had not changed their methodology since they originally registered with the Electoral Court.
An injunction by the Regional Electoral Court in Tocantins state says 84 media outlets are not allowed to publish or broadcast news about a criminal investigation into the state’s incumbent gubernatorial candidate, Carlos Gaguim (PMDB), writes Veja reporter Reinaldo Azevedo. Gaguim’s campaign team formally complained to the court that such reports involved the use of journalism with the political goal of supporting rival candidates.
The Rio de Janeiro-based newspaper Extra carried a front-page image of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as the King of Hearts to make fun of his recent remarks against the media.
Approximately 500 members of unions, social movements, and journalism groups gathered at the São Paulo Journalists’ Union offices to demonstrate “In defense of democracy and against media coup-ism,” G1 reports.
Google this week released an online digital tool designed to track censorship around the world, according to the BBC.
The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas has created a map depicting media censorship in Brazil leading up to the Oct. 3 elections for president, governors, and federal and state senators and representatives.
In the wake of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s statements accusing the press of acting like a political party, unions, several worker groups, government partisans, social movement activists, and progressive bloggers are planning an “action against media coup-ism” this Thursday, Sept. 23, at the headquarters of the São Paulo Journalists’’ Union, O Globo reports.
The Electoral Court in Mato Grosso state issued an injunction against the state’s largest media company, Gazeta, preventing it from publishing stories that say acting Federal Deputy and current Senate candidate Carlos Abicalil (PT) supports decriminalizing abortion, A Gazeta and Folha de S. Paulo report. The ruling would fine the paper A Gazeta and the TV station Canal 10 more than $58,000 if they fail to comply.
The National Newspaper Association (ANJ), the Brazilian Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters, and the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) condemned statements by President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva that he will “ defeat the papers and magazines that behave as if they were political parties,” O Globo reports.
The federal prosecutor’s office has accused TV Globo and the Group of 13 soccer consortium of engaging in unfair trade practices in negotiating broadcasting contracts for the Campeonato Brasileiro, the country’s top soccer division.