Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Philadelphia Finally Gets Public Access !
http://phillycam.org/
The mission of the PhillyCAM (Philadelphia Community Access Media) is to provide Philadelphia residents and organizations with the opportunity to communicate with each other through the creation and distribution of non-commercial media. PhillyCAM provides residents and community organizations access to media-making tools and training and opportunities for interaction between diverse communities.The purpose and intent of the PhillyCAM is to operate a vibrant community media center in Philadelphia which is accessible and welcoming to all residents and provides a valuable means for people to gain access to and training in the use of new digital media technologies, including computers, Internet, radio, video, and television, that enable people to address the diverse social and cultural needs of their communities. All Philadelphians, not just the influential, will have the opportunity to make and watch programs about themselves, their lives, and interests, as well as utilize other new technologies.
What’s Public Access?
Public access is a system on cable television, which provides people with access to equipment and training to make and broadcast their own non-commercial programs, publicize their activities or get their message out without having to buy airtime.
Godfather of Access, George Stoney and Gretjen Clausing, Director of Philly's new access center.
The public receives access to these facilities as compensation from the cable companies that are given the right to do business within a given municipality, including the use of public rights of way (sidewalks, telephone poles, etc.). This compensation is in the form of franchise fees that are paid to the City and an agreement to provide facilities and equipment and channel capacity for public access.
Public access cable is not the same as public broadcasting. Public or community access programming and content production is open to everyone in the community on a typically first come first served basis. Public access serves as an “electronic park” where people from all different types of communities have the opportunity to share their views and information on just about anything—arts and culture, sports, cooking, religion, education, local issues, national news, health concerns—the list is only limited by the people’s imagination
The mission of the PhillyCAM (Philadelphia Community Access Media) is to provide Philadelphia residents and organizations with the opportunity to communicate with each other through the creation and distribution of non-commercial media. PhillyCAM provides residents and community organizations access to media-making tools and training and opportunities for interaction between diverse communities.The purpose and intent of the PhillyCAM is to operate a vibrant community media center in Philadelphia which is accessible and welcoming to all residents and provides a valuable means for people to gain access to and training in the use of new digital media technologies, including computers, Internet, radio, video, and television, that enable people to address the diverse social and cultural needs of their communities. All Philadelphians, not just the influential, will have the opportunity to make and watch programs about themselves, their lives, and interests, as well as utilize other new technologies.
What’s Public Access?
Public access is a system on cable television, which provides people with access to equipment and training to make and broadcast their own non-commercial programs, publicize their activities or get their message out without having to buy airtime.
Godfather of Access, George Stoney and Gretjen Clausing, Director of Philly's new access center.The public receives access to these facilities as compensation from the cable companies that are given the right to do business within a given municipality, including the use of public rights of way (sidewalks, telephone poles, etc.). This compensation is in the form of franchise fees that are paid to the City and an agreement to provide facilities and equipment and channel capacity for public access.
Public access cable is not the same as public broadcasting. Public or community access programming and content production is open to everyone in the community on a typically first come first served basis. Public access serves as an “electronic park” where people from all different types of communities have the opportunity to share their views and information on just about anything—arts and culture, sports, cooking, religion, education, local issues, national news, health concerns—the list is only limited by the people’s imagination
Friday, October 23, 2009
Rappers Crossing Borders
Ora Wise of the Palestine Education Project, Ras K'Dee of SNAG Magazine, and hip-hop activists Invincible of Detroit and the Narcicyst speak about their experiences organizing across borders, creating solidarity between communities of struggle, and being part of a new generation of activists forming their own connections.
From Grit TV, Laura Flanders' daily program on Free Speech TV.
From Grit TV, Laura Flanders' daily program on Free Speech TV.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Local Community Radio Act Barrels Ahead in U.S. Congress
This video is a statement from one of the Bill's sponsors made on October 8, 2009.
October 15, 2009: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has unanimously approved the Local Radio Freedom Act, which would potentially open the door for hundreds of new low-power FMs by doing away with third-adjacent channel protection for full-power FMs. The bill would also require the FCC to ensure that licenses are available to LPFMs as well as translators, based on the "needs of the community," and would end the ban on former pirate operators obtaining LPFM licenses.
The bill was approved last week by the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet in a 15-1 vote. The next step is a vote in the full House. A similar bill is pending in the Senate and is now awaiting action by the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee.
Last week, we were thrilled when the Local Community Radio Act of 2009 (H.R. 1147) passed out of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet by voice vote.
Tomorrow, community radio advocates may have more to celebrate. The full House Energy and Commerce Committee will vote on the Local Community Radio Act on Thursday, October 15 at 10 a.m.
After years of fighting to expand people’s access to the airwaves, community radio advocates are finally seeing the fruits of our labor. This is the farthest the bill has come since it was first introduced in 2005, bringing hundreds of communities around the country one huge step closer to running their own radio stations.
The Energy and Commerce Committee is chaired by longtime LPFM supporter Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA). After the Committee markup, we expect the Local Community Radio Act to move swiftly toward a full House vote.
Community radio needs your support more than ever. Please call your representative today to say it’s time to pass the Local Community Act! http://www.freepress.net/lpfm/cosponsors
Halimah Marcus Prometheus Radio Project Development and Communications Assistant
Phone: 215-727-9620 x 510 Email: halimah@prometheusradio.org www.prometheusradio.org
October 15, 2009: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has unanimously approved the Local Radio Freedom Act, which would potentially open the door for hundreds of new low-power FMs by doing away with third-adjacent channel protection for full-power FMs. The bill would also require the FCC to ensure that licenses are available to LPFMs as well as translators, based on the "needs of the community," and would end the ban on former pirate operators obtaining LPFM licenses.
The bill was approved last week by the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet in a 15-1 vote. The next step is a vote in the full House. A similar bill is pending in the Senate and is now awaiting action by the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee.
Last week, we were thrilled when the Local Community Radio Act of 2009 (H.R. 1147) passed out of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet by voice vote.
Tomorrow, community radio advocates may have more to celebrate. The full House Energy and Commerce Committee will vote on the Local Community Radio Act on Thursday, October 15 at 10 a.m.
After years of fighting to expand people’s access to the airwaves, community radio advocates are finally seeing the fruits of our labor. This is the farthest the bill has come since it was first introduced in 2005, bringing hundreds of communities around the country one huge step closer to running their own radio stations.
The Energy and Commerce Committee is chaired by longtime LPFM supporter Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA). After the Committee markup, we expect the Local Community Radio Act to move swiftly toward a full House vote.
Community radio needs your support more than ever. Please call your representative today to say it’s time to pass the Local Community Act! http://www.freepress.net/lpfm/cosponsors
Halimah Marcus Prometheus Radio Project Development and Communications Assistant
Phone: 215-727-9620 x 510 Email: halimah@prometheusradio.org www.prometheusradio.org
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Amarc Statement re: Argentine Law
COMUNICADO DE PRENSA 13 de Octubre de 2009
Comunicado de AMARC-ALC sobre la aprobación de la Ley de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual en Argentina
La Asociación Mundial de Radios Comunitarias, América Latina y Caribe (AMARC ALC) celebra la aprobación de la Ley de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual en Argentina y destaca disposiciones que garantizan la diversidad y el pluralismo en los servicios de comunicación audiovisual.
La aprobación de la nueva Ley de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual, por una amplia mayoría de 44 a 24 votos en el Senado argentino, convierte a este país en una de las mejores referencias en materia de marcos regulatorios para limitar la concentración de medios y promover y garantizar la diversidad y pluralismo. La nueva ley reemplaza a la de la dictadura militar impuesta en el año 1980.
La ley tiene como finalidad regular los servicios de comunicación audiovisual (incluidos la radio y la TV abierta), y se presenta como una norma comentada que incorpora legislación comparada y las recomendaciones del Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos.
AMARC ALC destaca que los fundamentos y objetivos principales de la nueva norma sean la promoción de la diversidad y el pluralismo, así como la desconcentración y fomento de la competencia, tal como recomiendan los organismos internacionales de defensa y promoción de la libertad de expresión.
Uno de los aspectos sobresalientes es el establecimiento de diversas y efectivas medidas para limitar e impedir la concentración indebida de medios. Entre ellas, los topes a la cantidad de licencias que puede tener una misma persona o empresa (a nivel nacional y en una misma área de cobertura) y los límites a la propiedad cruzada de medios, en atención con las mejores prácticas internacionales.
Con el objetivo de promover la producción de una diversidad de contenidos nacionales y locales, la nueva legislación argentina recoge extendidos antecedentes de países europeos y también americanos al incluir exigencias mínimas de producción nacional, local y propia, así como condiciones precisas para la formación de cadenas de emisoras, para limitar la centralización y uniformización de la programación en unos pocos grupos empresariales de la ciudad capital hacia el resto del país.
Otro aspecto a destacar es el reconocimiento expreso de tres sectores: estatal, comercial y sin fines de lucro, garantizando la participación de las entidades privadas sin fines de lucro con una reserva de 33% del espectro radioeléctrico. No establece porcentajes de reserva para los otros dos sectores pero se incluyen procedimientos simplificados para otorgar licencias para los pueblos originarios que se incluyen como personas de derecho público.
Dentro del sector sin fines de lucro, la ley reconoce expresamente a la radio y la televisión comunitaria adoptando la definición propuesta por AMARC y otras organizaciones en los "Principios para un Marco Regulatorio Democrático sobre Radio y Televisión Comunitaria", como "actores privados que tienen una finalidad social y se caracterizan por ser gestionadas por organizaciones sociales de diverso tipo sin fines de lucro. Su característica fundamental es la participación de la comunidad tanto en la propiedad del medio, como en la programación, administración, operación, financiamiento y evaluación. Se trata de medios independientes y no gubernamentales. En ningún caso se la entenderá como un servicio de cobertura geográfica restringida".
AMARC ALC destaca que no se impongan límites previos y arbitrarios a los medios comunitarios, y se les permita el acceso a una diversidad de fuentes de financiamiento, incluida la publicidad comercial y recursos estatales. Como medios independientes que son, se apoya que se limite a un máximo del 30% de su presupuesto el financiamiento que estos medios pueden recibir de fondos públicos pues evita su captura y condicionamiento por parte de los gobiernos.
Asimismo, se considera adecuado que los mecanismos de asignación de frecuencias contemplen y prioricen entre sus criterios la función social, el apoyo a sectores vulnerables y a proyectos de interés social a través de la elaboración de pliegos de bases y condiciones específicos así como la realización de concursos diferenciados para el otorgamiento de licencias del sector sin fines de lucro.
Tan importante como el contenido de la Ley, a nuestro juicio, es el proceso de elaboración y debate de la misma. Es necesario mencionar que el texto toma sus aspectos fundamentales de una iniciativa ciudadana, anterior al actual gobierno, denominada "21 Puntos Básicos por el Derecho a la Comunicación", elaborado por la Coalición por una Radiodifusión Democrática, una alianza de organizaciones e instituciones sociales, sindicales, académicas y profesionales de Argentina.
También, que el proyecto de ley fue debatido en numerosos foros públicos, que hubo un intenso y extenso debate en los medios de comunicación y otros espacios públicos durante meses, y que se presentaron centenares de propuestas de modificación al anteproyecto puesto en discusión en marzo de 2009, muchas de las cuales fueron incluidas en el proyecto presentado en el Congreso. Posteriormente, durante el debate en la Cámara de Diputados se realizaron cambios significativos y positivos, entre otros, a la conformación de la Autoridad de Aplicación.
AMARC Argentina y el Programa de Legislaciones y Derecho a la Comunicación de AMARC ALC participaron activamente en este proceso y se congratulan que se hayan tomado en cuenta varias de las propuestas realizadas.
AMARC ALC hace un llamado a todos los gobiernos de la región de América Latina y Caribe a que tomen como referencia a esta nueva ley recién aprobada en Argentina, que consideramos un muy buen ejemplo en su materia, ya que contribuye a la democratización de nuestras sociedades.
ASOCIACIÓN MUNDIAL DE RADIOS COMUNITARIAS - AMÉRICA LATINA Y CARIBE AMARC ALC María Pía Matta. Presidenta AMARC ALC; Ernesto Lamas. Coordinador Regional AMARC ALC. Gustavo Gómez. Director Programa de Legislaciones y Derecho a la Comunicación AMARC ALC.
ARGENTINA: Opposition, Media Giants to Fight New Law
From IPS By Marcela Valente
BUENOS AIRES, Oct 12 (IPS) - While civil society groups celebrated Argentina's new broadcasting law, media giants threatened to fight it with a wave of lawsuits, and opposition lawmakers pledged to revise it after the next Congress convenes in December. In the new legislature, the result of June elections in which President Cristina Fernández's supporters lost their majority, the opposition will try to amend or overturn the law, which was approved by the Senate in a 44-24 vote early Saturday morning, after a nearly 20-hour debate. The president signed it into law later that day.
The bill, which stirred up a major controversy in Argentina, brought the centre-left Fernández into conflict with the leading media groups, as it curbs the concentration of media ownership. A broad network of social organisations, which had long been demanding a new media law to replace the one in effect since the 1976-1983 military dictatorship, loudly applauded the passage of the bill without modifications
United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression Frank La Rue said the new law set "an example for other countries" by guaranteeing access to the media by all segments of society. The new law represents "a stride forward in Latin America against the increasing concentration of media ownership," he said.
A number of prominent academics and human rights activists threw their support behind the law. Nobel Peace laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel told IPS before the Senate vote that approval of the new law was essential. "We cannot continue to have a dictatorship-era law, created by (dictator Jorge Rafael) Videla," said the activist, who is often critical of the Fernández administration.
"There is resistance because this law affects the interests of big corporations like Grupo Clarín, which waged a major campaign against its passage. But this is not a 'K law'," said Pérez Esquivel. The TN cable news station owned by Grupo Clarín, Argentina's biggest media conglomerate, dubbed the bill the "K law" – for former president Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007), Fernández's predecessor and husband.
"They have tried to depict this bill as a government law, but social organisations have been working for a democratic media law for the past 25 years," said Pérez Esquivel, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980 for his efforts in the defence of human rights during the de facto military regime.
Senator Ernesto Sanz, leader of the main opposition bloc, the Radical Civic Union (UCR), said that his party backed over 100 of the 166 articles of the law. But no agreement was reached on amendments to the other clauses, and the law was passed without modifications. Grupo Clarín - which owns more than 250 newspapers, radio stations, TV channels and cable stations - and other large media companies fought the new law tooth and nail, and the political opposition echoed their complaints that the new legislation would give Fernández and Kirchner greater influence over the media.
"Kirchner Now Has Law Granting Control over Media" was the front page headline in Clarín, the country's leading newspaper, on Saturday. Senator Sanz said the law is "bad" because it will unleash a flood of lawsuits by companies that will be affected by the change of broadcasting rules, although he added that it could be modified by the new Congress.
Since the return to democracy in 1983, civil society had been demanding new legislation to replace a dictatorship-era law under which a handful of companies have immense power over the media. Hundreds of human rights groups, community radio stations, universities and other civil society bodies joined together in the "Coalition for Democratic Broadcasting" to advocate a new law that would contain 21 specific points guaranteeing the right to communication and information. "This law was our project," the Coalition's coordinator, Néstor Busso, told IPS.
Thousands of members of the Coalition and of political parties, trade unions and student groups gathered outside of Congress Friday to express their support for the new law as the Senate debated, and celebrated when it passed.
The stated aim of the new legislation is to fight the concentration of media ownership by limiting the number of broadcasting licenses in the hands of media giants. It describes communication as a "public service" and will diversify the airwaves by reserving one-third of licenses each for non-profit organisations, state broadcasters and private companies.
In addition, it stipulates that at least 70 percent of radio content and 60 percent of television programming must be produced in Argentina, while requiring that cable TV stations carry channels run by trade unions, universities, indigenous groups and other social organisations.
In the lower house of Congress, the ruling party agreed to 200 modifications of the bill, which brought left-wing parties on board. The draft law made it through the lower house in September with a vote of 146-three, with three abstentions, as the opposition boycotted the vote. In the Senate, the biggest controversy was over allegations that the new law expanded government control over the media, even though executive branch influence was limited thanks to lobbying by leftist parties in the lower house, which increased the participation by not-for-profit organisations.
The new regulatory and licensing body that will replace the federal commission created by the dictatorship and controlled by the government of the day will have seven members: two designated by the executive branch, three elected by Congress and two named by a federal body made up of experts.
The one-year deadline for companies to shed broadcasting licenses over the limit also drew fire, with the opposition arguing that the firms will be forced to sell at unreasonably low prices, and that the licenses could be picked up by government cronies at bargain prices.
In a column published by the Perfil newspaper, Professor Eliseo Verón wrote that "deep-down, the fierce struggle for a new media law is a huge effort on the part of the government to recuperate power, aimed at stripping its enemies of certain media businesses to hand them over to its friends."
Monday, October 12, 2009
Senado argentino aprueba ley que democratiza las comunicaciones
Fernández dio a conocer durante una rueda de prensa que el decreto ya fue publicado en Boletín Oficial. (Foto: Archivo)
La norma de Comunicación Audiovisual que fue aprobada por el Senado argentino y promulgada el sábado, ya fue publicada en el Boletín Oficial por la mandataria Cristina Fernández. Esta norma sustituirá a la ley 26 mil 522 de Radiodifusión de la dictadura.
TeleSUR Sábado, 10 de Octubre de 2009 / 09:15 h
El Senado argentino aprobó este sábado en una votación histórica la Ley de Comunicación Audiovisual que reemplaza la 22.285 de la dictadura militar, donde no se contemplaba la democratización del espectro radioléctrico. El resultado general arrojó 44 votos a favor y 24 en contra.
El proyecto quedó convertido en Ley a las 06H10 locales de este sábado, en un maratónico debate que se extendió por 20 horas, y que inició el viernes a media mañana.
En total el proyecto recibió 44 votos a favor y 24 en contra y, según la estatal agencia de noticia Télam, fue apoyado por el Frente para la Victoria y algunos legisladores de la oposición.
Durante el encuentro varios senadores del oficialismo y la oposición intercambiaron opiniones sobre la norma enviada por el Poder Ejecutivo al Congreso el pasado 27 de agosto.
El senador del oficialismo, Nicolás Fernández, instó al abrir el debate a las 10H30 hora local, a "romper con la dictadura" de las empresas periodísticas y planteó que los medios de comunicación "deben ser el vehículo de la realidad" pero no "constructores de una realidad capciosa".
Entre tanto, la senadora de la Coalición Cívica, María Eugenia Estensoro, cuestionó la norma y dijo que "con esta ley se propone una televisión con fronteras para los medios privados, pero la única que no va a tener fronteras es la voz del gobierno".
La senadora del Frente para la Victoria por Entre Ríos, Blanca Osuna, aseguró que "es una muy buena ley", que apunta a "construir una nueva cultura social" ya que partir de esta iniciativa "se adecuan mecanismos de regulación".
Una vez que sea promulgada, esta Ley regulará los servicios de comunicación audiovisual y garantizará la democracia, los derechos humanos y el pluralismo en los medios en Argentina.
Además esta norma le otorga un 33 por ciento del espectro radioeléctrico al sector comunitario sin fines de lucro, y limita a los monopolios comunicacionales.
La ley ha sido muy resistida por los grupos mediáticos de Argentina, principalmente por el Grupo Clarín, que verá reducido los privilegios monopólicos de los que ha gozado durante la vigencia de la ley de medios aprobada por la dictadura argentina.
También este instrumento legal por completo, ordena que las concesiones para la transmisión en medios audiovisuales sean de 10 años y luego de ese periodo serán revisadas por la nueva Autoridad Federal de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual.
El 18 de marzo, la presidenta argentina Cristina Fernández encabezó el acto para presentar la reforma de la Ley de Radiodifusión que fue aprobada por la última dictadura militar en 1980. Posteriormente se efectuaron más de cien foros de debate en toda la nación suramericana donde participaron cerca de 12 mil personas y se escucharon inquietudes y propuestas.
El proyecto de Ley de comunicación audiovisual fue enviado el 27 de agosto por Fernández al Congreso, para reemplazar la ley 22.285. La Cámara de Diputados debatió el proyecto el 17 de septiembre y le dio media sanción con 147 votos favorables, 4 negativos y una abstención.
La Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) aprueba la protección y promoción del derecho a la libertad de opinión y expresión de la nueva Ley, así lo expreso su relator especial el guatemalteco Frank La Rue.
Estela de Carlotto on the New Media Law in Argentina
From Democracy Now:
Argentina has enacted a media reform bill aimed at undoing dictatorship-era rules that left a handful of companies in control of national broadcasting. The bill allocates two-thirds of the broadcast spectrum to non-commercial stations, limits the number of licenses any one company can hold, and promotes Argentine-made content. The bill was based on a proposal written by a coalition of Argentine community media, human rights groups, unions and progressive academics. President Cristina Fernandez quickly signed it into law following its approval by the Argentine Senate. Estela de Carlotto of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo was among thousands to celebrate outside Congress.
Estela de Carlotto: “Everyone will have the opportunity to have a form of communication for the dignity of the people. Culturally, it is good; the advancement of freedom of expression is good. Celebrating here, we are all together. The Grandmothers are a part of these people that never ever gave up.”
Argentina has enacted a media reform bill aimed at undoing dictatorship-era rules that left a handful of companies in control of national broadcasting. The bill allocates two-thirds of the broadcast spectrum to non-commercial stations, limits the number of licenses any one company can hold, and promotes Argentine-made content. The bill was based on a proposal written by a coalition of Argentine community media, human rights groups, unions and progressive academics. President Cristina Fernandez quickly signed it into law following its approval by the Argentine Senate. Estela de Carlotto of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo was among thousands to celebrate outside Congress.
Estela de Carlotto: “Everyone will have the opportunity to have a form of communication for the dignity of the people. Culturally, it is good; the advancement of freedom of expression is good. Celebrating here, we are all together. The Grandmothers are a part of these people that never ever gave up.”
Argentine Senate Overwhelmingly Approves Media Law
By MAYRA PERTOSSI - Associated Press Writer
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Argentina's Senate overwhelmingly approved a law that will transform the nation's media landscape on Saturday, and President Cristina Fernandez quickly signed it into law.
Senators voted by a surprisingly high 44-24 margin for the law, celebrating the end of dictatorship-era rules that enabled a few companies to dominate Argentine media. Opponents say it instead gives the government too much power and will curtail freedom of speech.
The new law preserves two-thirds of the radio and TV spectrum for noncommercial stations, and requires channels to use more Argentine content. It also forces Grupo Clarin, the country's leading media company, to sell off many of its properties.
Government's supporters celerate outside the National Congress building in Buenos Aires, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. Argentina's Senate overwhelmingly approved a law that will transform the nation's media landscape on Saturday, and President Cristina Kirchner said she would sign it immediately."The initiative is moderate and democratic," said Sen. Miguel Angel Pichetto, a ruling party leader, during nearly 20 hours of uninterrupted debate that ended Saturday morning. "It allows for companies to have an adequate position, but not a dominant one."
Opponents say the new law simply replaces a media oligopoly with a state monopoly - and will enable investors with close ties to the president and her husband, former president Nestor Kirchner, to snap up media properties at low prices in forced sales.
Outside Congress, thousands of supporters celebrated in the plaza with chants, applause, fireworks and booming drums. The demonstration was organized by government supporters and included political activist Maximo Kirchner, son of the first couple.
Ruling party Sen. Liliana Fellner said the law does away with a vestige of Argentina's 1976-83 military dictatorship.
"We are settling an old debt with democracy," she said.
The commission applying new regulations and granting (or canceling) radio and television licenses will have seven members, include two designated by the executive branch, three by Congress and two by a federal body representing provincial governments. This should ensure ruling party control, which opponents fear will be used to threaten and censure critics.
Most affected is Grupo Clarin, one of Latin America's leading media companies. Within one year, it must sell off radio stations, television channels and part of its dominant cable TV network to comply with new ownership limits.
"The government is going after the media with all its remaining power," Clarin Editor Ricardo Roa wrote Saturday. "It has rushed through a misleading law that seems to be progressive but in reality only sets us back: it will promote a press that is weaker and more docile."
The lopsided Senate vote makes it unlikely the law will be overturned when Fernandez loses supporters in a new Congress, starting Dec. 10. A two-thirds majority in needed to overcome her veto.
The new law imposes more frequent licensing approvals, and requires that at least 70 percent of radio content and 60 percent of television content be produced in Argentina. It also requires cable TV companies to carry channels operated by universities, unions, indigenous groups and other non-governmental organizations.
Clarin and other media companies will now go to the courts, saying the new limits violate constitutional property protections. Cabinet Chief Anibel Fernandez said Saturday that "this is the right of any citizen."
Associated Press Writer Vicente Panetta contributed to this report.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Alfonso Gumucio Dagron on the Our Media Conference
La red NuestrosMedios
Dos aportes sobre comunicación y cambio social. Alfonso Gumucio Dagron presenta la experiencia de la red NuestrosMedios, una iniciativa internacional de artistas, académicos y activistas vinculados con la comunicación.
Por Alfonso Gumucio Dagron *
Desde Guatemala
NuestrosMedios o OurMedia es una red internacional de activistas, académicos y artistas –la única de esta naturaleza– vinculados con la comunicación para el cambio social, que se reunió nuevamente a fines de julio en Río Negro, cerca de Medellín, Colombia.
Esta fue la octava conferencia de esta red sui generis, que comenzó el año 2001 en Washington DC, por iniciativa de John Downing y de Clemencia Rodríguez, con una discreta reunión de cuarenta especialistas de la comunicación, ya que muchos de ellos asistían a otra conferencia internacional. Desde entonces, la red se ha expandido y fortalecido en cinco continentes.
El año 2002, en Barcelona, NuestrosMedios era todavía una red relativamente pequeña, enriquecida por la participación de académicos que asistieron al congreso de la Asociación Internacional de Estudios de la Comunicación Social (Aiecs). Allí se decidió crear una página web para afirmar la identidad de la red: www.ourmedianet.org
Al año siguiente, en su tercera reunión en Barranquilla, Colombia, se produjo su primera eclosión notable, gracias a la participación de dos centenares de estudiosos y estudiantes colombianos y la programación de dos días de diálogo y uno adicional para visitar experiencias comunitarias de comunicación para la paz.
Paulatinamente, la red creció en número de adherentes y también en la calidad de sus conferencias anuales. El programa de la siguiente, en Porto Alegre, Brasil, ocupó tres días de discusión y visitas a radios comunitarias, talleres de capacitación y producción de mensajes y alianzas con organizaciones locales de activistas de la comunicación participativa.
Por primera vez la quinta conferencia de NuestrosMedios se hizo en Asia, en Bangalore (India), de manera independiente, sin vincularse con otras reuniones internacionales. El programa se extendió cuatro días e incluyó uno dedicado a visitar el proyecto comunicacional de Budikote, una de las radios comunitarias pioneras de la India.
Australia fue el destino del siguiente encuentro, asociado a la Universidad de Western Sydney. Se recibieron más de 200 propuestas de ponencias, de 35 países, y entre los participantes había activistas de 50 organizaciones y movimientos sociales y académicos de 60 universidades. Un importante documento redactado de manera colectiva, la “Carta de Sydney” (http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/?q=node/130), delineó los objetivos de la red a la vez de establecer un diagnóstico de la comunicación ciudadana y participativa en cada región del planeta.
En su séptima conferencia, en Accra, Ghana, en 2008, la red se reunió durante cinco días, uno dedicado a visitar comunidades en el área de influencia de Radio Ada, pionera de las emisoras comunitarias de Ghana.
Finalmente, la reunión más reciente, en Colombia, agrupó a más de 120 participantes, entre ellos cerca de 40 internacionales, que llegaron de Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brasil, China, España, Estados Unidos, Francia, Ghana, Hungría, Inglaterra, México, Nicaragua, Noruega, Nueva Zelanda, Perú, Senegal y Uruguay. Durante cinco días, uno dedicado a visitar experiencias comunitarias, se llevaron a cabo plenarios, trabajos de grupo, proyecciones de video y talleres de capacitación.
Una de las características más notables de la red NuestrosMedios es su carácter horizontal y democrático. Carece de directiva y de institucionalidad formal, lo cual no le ha impedido hasta ahora demostrar una gran capacidad organizativa y de convocatoria. Al no disponer de financiamiento regular, la red opera con entera libertad y las decisiones se toman colectivamente.
Cada nueva conferencia se realiza a partir de la oferta que hace un comité local, constituido exclusivamente con el fin de garantizar la organización, la programación y la búsqueda de financiamiento, con apoyo de un comité internacional voluntario, que suele agrupar a quienes se han involucrado en la organización de anteriores reuniones. Esto significa que la sustentabilidad de la red depende exclusivamente de la voluntad de participación de sus miembros y del compromiso que voluntariamente adquieren para llevar adelante las actividades.
Los temas que son comunes a los participantes de la red NuestrosMedios parten de la necesidad de acercar la esfera académica a las prácticas concretas de comunicación para el cambio social. La red es ante todo un foro que propicia el diálogo sobre el fortalecimiento de la identidad, de la comunidad y de las alianzas; la participación en políticas y procesos de gobernabilidad; la diversidad cultural y de género, las diferentes visiones del mundo; el poder del arte y de la expresión estética; y el derecho a la comunicación de los pueblos, entre otros temas.
Las prácticas concretas de comunicación participativa, el activismo alternativo y la investigación comprometida con el cambio social son los puentes que permiten fortalecer los vínculos en la red, a la que constantemente se incorporan nuevos miembros, tanto de la academia como de los movimientos sociales y de comunidades indígenas. El carácter autorregulador y abierto de la red NuestrosMedios, así como la ausencia de un “centro” en la toma de decisiones, ha sido la principal garantía de su sustentabilidad.
Una de las iniciativas autogestionadas más interesantes de NuestroMedios es el Proyecto Global de Medios Alternativos, plataforma de comunicación en Internet que incluye un mapeo mundial de experiencias, una bibliografía especializada, blogs, cronologías de los medios alternativos y un “quién es quién” en la comunicación ciudadana y participativa. Para acceder y enriquecer esa base de datos basta ingresar a http://www.ourmedianetwork.org/wiki/start.
* Comunicador boliviano. Especializado en comunicación y desarrollo.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
New Threats against Radio Victoria in El Salvador
Received October 6, 2009: "This morning one of our community correspondents received a written threat outside the front door of his house, saying they were still around, that he better be careful, that it would be better to leave and mentioning different people in the radio and saying he better stop expressing opinions against mayors and national assembly deputies or we will all be sorry, soon they will kill another and that they receive orders from above.
We are denouncing this new threat and also threats against a young woman around 20 years old from San Isidro who was very close to Marcelo Rivera and Jose Beltran. She has been followed, had men outside her house in the middle of the night pointing to her bedroom and received a threatening phone call.
We ask again that you denounce these threats to the General Attorney´s office, his name is Romeo Barahona, in San Salvador: prensa@fgr.gob.sv
please pass this around!"
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