International EITAN ABRAMOVICH


Content – a new post – changed the directors of Radio Pública and Televisión Nacional and has begun to close programmes and sack journalists. Broadcasts by international channels such as Telesur and Russia Today have also been suspended. “The Argentine press tides have turned dramatically since


Macri was sworn in,” media analyst Marcelo García says. “Most printed voices now endorse the new government.” Telesur correspondent Laureano Ponce adds: “The objective


of Macri’s government is to silence all critical voices.” Ricardo Forster of Carta Abierta agrees. “There’s never been


so brutal a hegemony of a single outlook,” he says. In 2009, a law sought to cap the number of outlets one media


company could own. Forster says that Macri’s move to change it represents “an attack on freedom of expression”, is “unconstitutional” and “represents a return to the privileges enjoyed by monopolies in Argentina, an era we hoped was over”. Sabatella explains: “It took 30 years of democratic debate and discussion, the involvement of millions of people and five years of legal challenges from corporations to create a truly democratic media law. All that has been wiped out.” Macri invoked his powers to rule by decree on the grounds


of “presidential necessity and urgency”. He merged the two regulatory bodies into a new entity headed by a member of his party and called on existing regulators to resign. When they refused, the police were called to prevent them entering


their offices. Macri accused them of an “act of rebellion”. Edison Lanza, special rapporteur on freedom of expression


at the Organization of American States, says the action “puts the media watchdog back in the times when governments had full control. What’s happening is an infraction of democracy. We’re talking about media outlets, not beer companies. Media concentration hurts democracy. Strong democracies put limits on media concentration.” Frank LaRue adds “It’s media consolidation, rather than direct government censorship, that threatens the freedom of the press and speech the most today.” As legal and constitutional cases rumble on, the battle


continues. Upwards of 20,000 people have marched in defence of Sabbatella and the media law. When Victor Hugo Morales was fired, demonstrators filled Buenos Aires’ main square. #VHMCensurado trended globally. There have been strikes and protests over unpaid wages and sackings. In June, more than 3,000 people marched against “dismissals, censorship, low wages and prosecutions designed to silence critical voices”. Sabattella says the fight is central to Argentina’s future. “Democracy needs us to wage the fight; freedom of expression needs it. We are ready.”


Jeremy Dear is deputy general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists.


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