New Broadcasting Law Enacted in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES: The Argentine Senate has approved new legislation that limits television and radio ownership for local media companies, in a move that could force Grupo Clarin to offload some of its assets.

The bill, championed by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, passed Friday by a vote of 44 to 24. She maintains that the new legislation will serve to “democratize" the airwaves. The new law limits ownership of cable and broadcast operations, putting pressure on behemoth Clarin, which, according to published reports, holds a majority of Argentina’s radio, TV and cable licenses. Critics of the legislation see it as Fernandez’s attempts to silence dissent—she has accused Clarin of bias in its reporting. Its assets include the Canal 13 broadcast network, as well as a host of other TV channels and radio stations.

The new bill also mandates that 60 percent of a network’s TV content be locally produced, and calls on cable platforms to carry channels run by universities, unions and NGOs.