Law No 26.522 on Audiovisual Communication Services
Law No. 26.522 on Audiovisual Communication Services establishes the guidelines governing the operation of radio and television media in Argentina. This legislation was passed on October 10, 2009 by President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and replaced Law No. 22.285 on Broadcasting passed in 1980 by the military dictatorship which named itself National Reorganization Process, in force since then.
The main goal of this law is to promote diversity and universality in access and participation, which in turn implies equal opportunities to access the benefits offered for the entire population of the country.
In addition to a federal authority specially designated to ensure the implementation of this law, the national government provides incentives by granting funds for independent audiovisual productions. Two of the agencies that work in this project are the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales; INCAA) and the Secretariat of Culture of Argentina.
Challenges identified in the implementation of this measure:
- The execution of this law has been partially halted on account of injunctions ordered by local courts.
- It is necessary to have professionals and technicians to comply with this regulation, since the law establishes minimum content requirements.
A 28% increase of own contents broadcast by signals of the interior of the country
Technical Plan to meet spectrum demands
Rearrangement of cable TV programming grid
Granting of 332 licenses for starting up AM and FM radios
Call for bids for 220 open TV signals (110 non-profit and and 110 private business)
Granting of radio frequencies to 1200 municipalities, provinces and universities
Creation of a new air signal, Celta TV, which broadcasts eight hours of their own content