World Press Associations Committee: Freedom needs to be guaranteed in Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela

The Global Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations yesterday demanded more guarantees for freedom of the press and of expression in Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela during a special session on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.The organizations present at the half-yearly meeting which discussed the major press freedom issues in the world, in addition to the IAPA, were the International Association of Broadcasting, World Press Freedom Committee, Committee to Protect Journalists and International Press Institute. They are not alone in their calls for more and better guarantees in the Americas. Reporters without Borders and the Human Rights Foundation have also recently released statements bringing attention to some concerning occurrences in some countries in Latin America. The freedoms of the Press and of Expression are fundamental to a healthy and are essential to help guarantee a healthy exchange of ideas. Democracy is at risk in these countries and world leaders can continue to ignore it, but it will be at a high cost.

Honduras Plans Media watchdog

The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) voiced concern at a plan by the government of Honduras to sponsor the creation of a national news media watchdog whose objective would be to assess and keep an eye on editorial content.

Minister of the Presidency Enrique Flores Lanza announced that President Manuel Zelaya’s government is promoting “the setting up of a national watchdog on news media, in which different sectors of society could assess how news of national interest are handled objectively and professionally or on the contrary are manipulated, tendentious and irresponsible.”

IAPA President Enrique Santos Calderón, editor of the Bogotá, Colombia, newspaper El Tiempo, declared, “It is not the responsibility of the government to oversee, assess or evaluate the content of information that the media disseminate. When the authorities assume the role of watchdogs over the press they act contrary to freedom of expression and of the press guaranteed under the constitutions of our hemisphere, and such action thus becomes an interference.”

See full Press Release here.

The Presidency Minister went on to say that the Watchdog would be run by community organizations and would “determine which news media outlets become enemies of the general interests of the population by tendentiously manipulating information and systematically harming the image not of the government but of the country.”

This is a little scary and could lead to the demonization of the profession in Honduras. The Watchdog is not, in and of itself, a dangerous institution and could help point out irresponsible journalism. However, crossing the line from a watchdog to a censoring body may be a little too enticing for those who disagree with what the media outlets may be saying.

Reporters Without Borders: Hugo Chavez Targets Globovision (TV Channel)

Chavez targets those who criticize him... again

Reporters Without Border issued a press release in late November of this year in which they deplored the legal irregularity and purely political intent of the administrative move made against the privately-owned TV station Globovisión for allegedly violating the country’s electoral law and said it was clearly an attempt to cancel the station’s broadcasting licence.

From the Press Release:

“ Globovisión did nothing wrong by showing a speech by an election candidate claiming he had won,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said. “It did not say he had won and was simply doing its job of reporting.”

“The National Elections Council (CNE) said no rule had been broken. Why have none of the other media outlets which may have filmed the same footage been targeted? It seems anything goes in efforts to cancel the licence of a station that has criticised the government,” it said.

At President Hugo Chávez’ request, the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) told Globovisión on 27 November that action was being taken against it for breaking the electoral law, which bans media outlets giving election results before they are officially announced by the CNE. The 2004 law on TV and radio social responsibility provides for a broadcasting suspension of up to three days for this infraction and immediate licence cancellation if repeated. Globovisión ‘s licence is due to expire in 2013.

Globovisión is the only non-satellite newsstation to criticise Chávez and has never been able to get a licence to broadcast outside the capital. Its main offices were recently attacked by pro-government activists and its head, Alberto Federico Ravell, is regularlly accused by the government of “conspiring” against the president.

Eye on Democracy: Freedom of the Press

In its most recent Press Release, the Human Rights Foundation has brought the world’s attention to the ongoing attacks and abuses againts the press in some Latin American countries. The press release mentions the letter the organization has sent Mr. Insulza requesting him to activate the democratic clause in countries that are trampling democracy.

Chavez and Morales in particular, continue to get away with publicly calling the members of the media liars, traitors and a number of adjectives that lead to a deterioration of the public discourse so necessary for democracy to flourish.

In his last visit to DC, Morales was saluted by a crowd of Bolivians demanding action from Mr. Insulza on this issue (picture).

Press release is in spanish.