The National Association of Journalists of Peru – ANP (Asociación Nacional de Periodistas del Perú) alerts the international community to what constitutes one of the most serious attacks on the right to information in the recent history of the country. At least ten journalists from América Televisión and Canal N, in what constitutes an indirect dismissal, were forced to end their employment relationship with the company. This given the hostile environment in which they have worked in recent months, after denouncing and rejecting the claim of the journalistic management to distort their informative and investigative activity. This occurs in a context of gross bias throughout the entire second electoral round in the entire concentrated press.
Facts like these show that, unfortunately, if petty interests prevail, those who run the media can become antagonists of the right to information.
The editorial position of a communication company, although it may be legitimate, should not affect the news coverage in any way. Editorial freedom is not a carte blanche to persecute, cancel or harass journalists who do not think alike and less to impose a bias on them or coerce them to misinform.
Given all this, the ANP warns of the urgent need to put the concentration of media in the country at the centre of the debate. What has been experienced shows the need to regulate issues owned by the media in order to guarantee editorial plurality and, consequently, the full exercise of the citizens’ right to information. A single media group cannot continue to concentrate 80% of printed matter in Peru. It is imperative to promote a national debate that allows establishing criteria to legislate on the matter.
The manifest bias in this electoral campaign – which is more serious on radio or television that support their service in the use of the radioelectric spectrum – has not allowed a due public debate. We must develop conditions so that this is not repeated.
National Executive Commitee
Source: http://www.cronicaviva.com.pe/anp-alerta-a-comunidad-internacional-grave-ataque-al-derecho-a-la-informacion-en-peru/ (original Spanish)
