Argentina’s senate approves media bill
October 11th, 2009 - 10:50 UTC
by Andy Sennitt.

Following a heated debate lasting almost 20 hours, the Argentinian senate has approved a new bill intended to end monopolies in the country’s media industry. The bill, which was proposed by President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s Peronist party, had already been approved by the lower house.

Until now, the country’s media were in the hands of a few industrialists and there was little talk of the need for a public broadcaster or multiple points of view in television and radio.

The Argentinian government says the bill will give the country’s media a public and social responsibility. In addition, social organisations will be given access to the media. From now on, commercial broadcasters will no longer be able to set up unlimited broadcasting channels, as they have been able to do in the past.

The country’s right wing opposition believes that what they see as the government’s interference will limit freedom of the press and give the government too much power over the media.