“If ‘the word’ was not so concentrated, more would question prevalent inequalities.” The owners of the word: access, structure and concentration of the media in the 21st century Latin America, a new book by the Argentinean researchers Marín Becerrra and Guillermo Mastrini, confirms and explores the high levels of media concentration in Latin America in the hands of a few economic conglomerates.

As well as having control of many economic enterprises and businesses, they also own large networks of radio and television stations. More often than not these ‘info-comunicational’ enterprises can be used as powerful tools for lobbying.

Concentration in the field of radio broadcasting is also referred to in the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters AMARC-ALC 2009 annual report Diversity and pluralism in radio broadcasting in Latin America, which indicates that “The concentration of radio frequencies and markets in the hands of few economic groups in many parts in the region continues to be problematic.”

In this scenario both the book and AMARC ALC’s annual report also point to the advances of the last two years. They mention several countries where for the first time there has been active questioning of media concentration with increased recognition that non-profit social sectors and groups have the same right to have access to TV and radio licences. This is closely related to the increasing growth of the whole movement for the democratization of communication a movement that has been nurtured both by grassroots and popular groups, NGOs and academics alike.

WACC has figured prominently in the communication rights movement across the world and in the past acted as the secretariat for the Campaign for Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS). Communication rights and the right to communication and information are at the heart of the democratization movement in the Latin American region.

Here we reproduce a Power Point presentation prepared by José Luis Aguirre, director of SECRAD, Servicio de Capacitación en Radio y TV para el Desarrollo, of Bolivia and a WACC partner and member. It systematises the arguments for and the basis of the right to communication and information.

Communication rights are increasingly seen by policy makers, legislators and activists alike as essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to a truly democratic and inclusive society.

Presentation (EN)

Présentation (FR)

Ponencia (ES)