News Ombudsmen in Latin American press:History, present and future

Flavia V. PauwelsBuenos Aires University (UBA)

Argentina

Situation

In 2012, at least 29 News Ombudsmen experiences are operating in Latin America, in newspapers and audiovisual media (especially those of a public management).

Colombia, Mexico and Brazil: countries with the largest number of Ombudsmen in this region

Absence of a regional organization and small number of Latin American News Ombudsmen in ONO (only 9).

Latin America in ONO

Some governments put pressure on journalists (through legislation, litigation or other mechanisms).

In some countries the journalists face criminal groups. You can see reports about this in: http://cpj.org/es/ and http://www.adc.org.ar

There are economic difficulties in the media, journalists’ resistance to self-criticism and few participation of the public.

Situation

The task of News Ombudsmen is complex:

The first: Brazil (1989)

1) Newspapers

• Folha da Tarde• O Dia• AN Capital• Correio da

Paraíba• Etc.

1989 (San Pablo)

1994(Fortaleza)

2)TV, radio and news agency

2004/2010(San Pablo)

2007 (Brasilia)Radiobras 2004

3) Internet

2007/2009

2007/2010(San Pablo)

Colombia (1990)

1) Newspapers

• Entre Vista (1990)Antioquia University

• Vanguardia Liberal(1992)

• El Espectador (1998)

2)Television (by law 335/1996)

1992/2008(Bogotá)

1999(Medellín)

•Telecafe•Telecaribe•Telepacífico•Canal Uno•City TV•Canal Capital•Canal 131997 1997 2001

2007(regulation of CNTV)

Bolivia (1990)

2005-2010(Santa Cruz)

1990: La Razón

Grupo de Prensa Líder

One Ombudsman for 8 newspapers in different cities (2003-2005):

•El Deber•El Norte•La Prensa•Los Tiempos•Correo del Sur•El Potosí•Nuevo Sur•El Alteño

Chile (1991)

1) Newspapers

• La Época (1991)

3) Radio 4) Journalists association

2010 (Santiago)

2) Magazine

• El Periodista (2003)

2006

2011 (Santiago)

Argentina (1992)

2) Newspaper

1) Magazines 3) Radio

• Defensor del Público (Public Advocate)

• Radio and Televisión

•He/She has not been elected yet by Parliament

•1998

1992-1996 1997-1999 2004-2008

•2006(Buenos Aires)

4) Law 26.522 (2009)

Mexico (1993)

1) Newspapers

• Uno más uno (1992)• El Economista (1993)• Síntesis (Puebla - 2004)• Tabasco Hoy (Tabasco 2004)• Noroeste (Culiacan - 2006)

1997/2011 2011(Guadalajara)

2) Radio

2008

2009

2011

3) Television

2008 2008 2010

4) News Agency

Paraguay (1993)

Newspaper

Hoy(Asunción)

1993/1994

Ecuador (1994)

1) Newspaper1994

(Quito)

2) Television

2008/2010

3) Draft law

• National media would be obliged to employ News Ombudsmen (newspapers, radio and TV)

• News Ombudsmen would be selected and financed by media themselves

Venezuela (1998)

Newspapers

1998(Caracas)

2004(Caracas)

Costa Rica (1998)

Radio

Radioperiódicos Reloj

1998-2006 (San José)

Panamá (2001)

Newspaper

2001-2008(Panamá)

Guatemala (2002)

Newspaper

2002/2006 (Guatemala)

Uruguay (2002)

2) Newspaper

1) Magazine

• Riesgo país (2002)

2008(Montevideo)

Nicaragua (2008)

2008/2009 (Managua)

Weekly newspaper

Iberian Peninsula

Spain1) Newspapers

1985(Madrid)

1993(Barcelona)

1995(Gerona)

2010(Barcelona)

1995 (Sevilla)

2006(Madrid)

2008(Barcelona)

2) Radio and television 3) Others

•Diario 16 (1990)•Regió 7 (1996)•La Voz de Galicia (2001)•El Correo Gallego (2004)•Antena 3 (1997)

Iberian Peninsula

Portugal 1) Newspapers

Record (1992)

Jornal de Noticias(2001)

1997 (Lisboa)

2) Internet

2004 (Setúbal)

3) Radio and Television

2006 (Lisboa)

1997(Lisboa)

Can News Ombudsmendo everything?

ARGENTINAECUADOR

Can´t News Ombudsmendo nothing?

Brazil Colombia

¡Mediator!

Argentina Chile

Flavia V. PauwelsBuenos Aires University (UBA)

Argentina

Thanks for your atention!