While all activities and disciplines have suffered the devastation of the pandemic, as this difficult year draws to a close, I would like to underline the immeasurable value that independent journalism brings to citizens and democracy in traumatic and difficult times.
The media and professional journalism may not have done anything other than normal, such as seeking the truth, overseeing public and private powers, generating public conversation on decisive issues, and defending the right to freedom of expression. However, the pandemic has amplified these contributions, with audiences turning to the media en masse in search of high quality and reliable information.
Despite this reunification of citizens and media, journalism companies have suffered with all the severity of the Covid-19 attacks, especially as the deflated economy drastically reduced advertising revenues. Many small and medium-sized local media disappeared, denouncing entire communities, which are now more vulnerable to injustice and corruption.
Other media had to shrink to face the crisis, weakening its content and its future. And almost everyone had to hurry to invest in business model change to embrace the digital transformation and acquire debt that endangers their present.
This dichotomy, between the value of the media in a democracy and its struggle not to disappear, is one of our priorities. A democratic society prides itself on its strong and independent social institutions and a robust and vigilant press.
Faced with this dilemma, we believe that states should continue to provide incentives and solutions to all sectors of the economy, including the press, which has been downgraded as industry in many countries, so that they can continue to strengthen society in times of adversity. In July and October, we sent a letter to all of America’s governments, saying, “In times of crisis and need, independent journalism and professional media are essential to free nations. Ensuring its viability and sustainability is a responsibility of democratic societies. ‘
In this sense, we reiterate our satisfaction to Colombia’s President Iván Duque for being the first US government to include a stimulus package in its budget bill – already approved for 2021 – that includes a post of more than $ 20 million to encourage digital transformation, strengthening and economic reactivation of the media. We also reiterate our appreciation for the Radical Change Party of Colombia, which, given the dire situation of the media, has introduced a law in the national congress that includes loans, economic and tax incentives, with a special focus on the regional media. We understand that the Liberal Party, among others, has already approved this initiative, which would be approved during the next parliamentary exercise. We are convinced that these initiatives of the executive and legislative branches of Colombia, subject to technical, objective and control and transparency measures, and with respect for editorial independence, can be tainted and taken over by other governments in the region that are also the predominant appreciate role. who have professional and independent journalism for democratic life. We believe it is also essential to bring this dialogue closer to multilateral organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank and the Andean Development Corporation, as well as organizations championing democracy and freedom of speech, such as the Organization of States . Americans and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and its Office of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Speech. Nor do we want to disregard foundations, nongovernmental institutions, and private companies, knowing that freedom of the press, independent press, and democracy are universal rights and duties, as well as mandates, enshrined in nearly all US constitutions. 2021 will have the slowness of this pandemic year. The negative effects will persist or, in many cases, get worse. As societies, we have a responsibility to uphold and strengthen democratic values. From the IAPA, we will continue to support journalism and our partners with initiatives to support digital development projects, believing that the sustainability and strength of the media is an essential requirement to preserve the public’s right to information. And as always, out of respect for democratic values, we will continue our fierce struggle for the validity of the freedom of the press and freedom of expression to which the Chapultepec and Salta statements commit us. The IAPA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in America. It is composed of more than 1,300 publications from the Western Hemisphere; and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.