Ricerc@Sapienza

The Argentinian Law 26.522 on Audiovisual Communication Services (currently under reform) aimed at democratizing the media arena by recognizing multiple actors such as community broadcasters, school and indigenous media, among others. According to the legal classification, community broadcasters were regulated as private non-profit media, despite having specific objectives, programming, organizational logic and economic conditions. Conversely, school and indigenous media merged into the public sector, even if they may act as community media.

Constitutional reforms in Ecuador and Bolivia and the subsequent laws on communications
have opened up the media space to new social and political actors: public and
community media. While the former tend to be associated with the state in form and with
governments in substance, the latter are not clearly defined and occupy a place in the
midst of the hegemonic struggle between the public and private sectors to enable citizens
to actively intervene in the competition for shaping public opinion. It is therefore necessary

The study focuses on indigenous radio practices in Argentina under the implementation of the 2009 Law 26.522 on Audiovisual Communication Services, currently undergoing reform. This pioneering law recognised indigenous broadcasters, thereby satisfying the call of indigenous organisations, during the legislative process, for their right to ‘communication with identity’ to be included. Nevertheless, we believe that the application of the law has been weak overall, and that the legal definition of media is questionable.