President Fernando Lugo vetoed proposed changes to the Telecommunications Law that would have restricted the signal strength of community radio and prevented stations from selling advertising, Última Hora and Terra report. The veto was announced Nov. 12.
At the end of its 66th Assembly, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) decided to send 22 resolutions, the majority dealing with press freedom, to government officials and inter-American organizations.
The federal government is preparing a new media bill for President-elect Dilma Rousseff and invited international specialists to discuss regulation issues at the International Seminar on Electronic Communication and Media Convergence, which took place Nov. 9-10 in Brasília. The conference gathered almost 300 representatives from government, industry, academia, international organizations, and journalism.
Bolivian journalists and news media say the controversial Law Against Racism and all Forms of Discrimination, which was sanctioned Oct. 8 to take effect next January, is already being applied.
Congress is considering reactivating the “Communication Council” to assist and advise lawmakers on matters related to communication, Folha de Sao Paulo reports. It would not serve as an official monitor but would hold a consultative role.
On Nov. 4, Honduras will have its Universal Periodic Review, an evaluation by the United Nations Human Rights Council. In the lead-up to this event, more than 32 press freedom organizations in the IFEX network have presented recommendations to combat the “deplorable human rights situation” in the country.
The states of Ceará, São Paulo, Mato Grosso, Bahia, Piauí, and Alagoas are considering creating communications monitoring agencies, Folha de S. Paulo and O Globo report.
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.
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.
“It is important to nationalize the media,” President Cristina Fernández said, highlighting the media's importance in “defending the interests of the country,” Télam and Página 12 report.
The government has begun to plan how it will regulate the new Anti-Racism Law, in spite of protests from press groups against two articles that could punish media outlets with closure and journalists with prison if they spread racist ideas, Jornadanet reports. The bill was signed into law last week, and the government has 90 days to make the regulatory changes necessary for the bill to be enforced.
After legislative threats by the National Assembly, Ecuador’s Banking Board – which regulates the financial system – unanimously overturned a rule that allowed banks to own up to 25 percent of a media outlet, El Universo and El Comercio report.