Media sign agreement to cover Mexican drug violence
By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO
Media More than 60 media groups, including the two largest television stations and several major newspapers and radio stations in the country, signed an unprecedented agreement for coverage of the violence of organized crime which is committed to omit information propaganda criminal groups to spread "terror" and establish criteria for distributing of images of violent acts.
The signatories agree not to disseminate information that may endanger the operations of the authorities, avoid the language and terminology of organized crime, in addition to "ignore and discard information that comes from criminal groups for propaganda purposes." In recent years, drug cartels have been used as texts in cards strategy and leave the bodies of their victims, as well as record videos of some torture, and murder. The groups have used such means not only to intimidate rivals, but to send messages against the authorities.
This is the first agreement of its kind in Mexico and brought together media such as Televisa and TV Azteca, the radial image, and Radio Center Radio Formula, as well as newspapers such as El Universal, Excelsior, and Milenio.
In Colombia, in the 1980's, there was an agreement between the mainstream media to investigate and publish joint reports on drug trafficking.
Some other big media in Mexico, such as newspapers Reforma and La Jornada, did not sign the agreement announced at an event at the Museum of Anthropology of the capital which was broadcast on national brand, which amounted to some 450 radio and TV stations throughout the country.
President Felipe Calderon welcomed the agreement and considered is "a clear demonstration of the responsibility carried by the media to stop signing deal with the phenomenon of organized crime and violence that they generate," said a statement from his office.
signatories media have said the government was not involved in the deal.
President of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), Gonzalo Marroquín, told the AP that seems right for a case such as this unifying part of the Mexican press, but said the agency does not encourage such agreements because it believes that each medium individually to decide the form of coverage.
"To avoid self-censorship is to be preserved in decision of each medium on how to include information, "he said.
Dóriga
Joaquín López, head of Televisa nightly newscast star, said that much of the agreement has applied for some time in their space." I do not see it as a self-censorship in any way, "he said." I've never made a blanket ... I've never read a narcomensaje, I have always tried to avoid the terminology of offenders, from the nicknames "he said.
considered, however, that such agreement is a scheme of self-protection for journalists against organized crime "We want to use some of their spokespersons, and their errand boys and I insist that can not fall into the evil ".
Millennium
TV director, Ciro Gomez Leyva, said he also has been applied almost all of what is in the agreement, especially from July 2010, when one of its cameramen was kidnapped along with two other journalists from Televisa for alleged drug traffickers in the north."Since July we took the decision to avoid harsh images (as) beheaded," he said. However, he clarified that it "does not mean tomorrow a picture of that type, if highly news, can not leave. "
Under the agreement, each half will establish protocols and security measures for its journalists to cover events related to organized crime.
as is suggested protective measures "not to sign the notes on these issues, make notes and joint coverage with other media and do live reports from the most violent areas."
For several months some print media in Mexico decided not to sign some notes on the drug.
responsible for the Americas The Reporters Without Borders, Benoit Hervieu, told the AP that his organization was invited to join the agreement, but rejected it because of concerns about some of the points, especially the principle that when the action government is done in the context of law should make clear that violence is the result of criminal groups.
"The problem is that I totally agree with that ... (when) is operating, and that is within the framework of the law, but will not prevent abuses, even against the media," he said.
At times there have been cases of policemen or soldiers who have been threatened or beaten up journalists covering any official operation.
Carlos Lauria of the Committee to Protect Journalists, told the AP he saw no point of agreement that would infringe freedom of expression and found that if some different ways you can generate a debate which will also be "positive."
The UN and the OAS have warned that Mexico is the most dangerous country for journalists in the Americas.
The National Human Rights Commission has recorded the killing of 65 journalists since 2000.
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