Public and communication policies for audiovisual community media in Argentina (2020-2021)

Approaches, transitions, and changes

Abstract

In the following article, we will closely analyze several national communication policies in Argentina that affect non-profit communication media, focusing on the 2020-2021 period. Beyond looking at the policies themselves, we also want to inspire conversation on how these policies impact the non-profit communication sector, keeping in mind the demands and roles of this sector within the country’s info-communicational system.   

Specifically, we will look at policies dealing with national advertising guidelines, the Competitive Development Fund for Audiovisual Communication Media, the Sinergía (or Synergy) tool, the Potenciar trabajo (or Empower Work) program, and the S.U.M.A.R. and Manos a la obra (or All hands on deck) subsidies.   

In this context, we ask ourselves: how has the media been involved in these policies and what is the relationship between the non-profit media sector and the communication policies of the current Argentine administration between 2019 and 2021? As we shall see, this relationship, between community media and the government, is defined by tensions, dialogues, dynamics, and projects that are proving insufficient to sustain the non-profit sector from both political and administrative perspectives.  

Although media concentration continues to worsen, we recognize that many of the latest communication policies seek to democratically broaden the radio spectrum. Nevertheless, we should still highlight the claims and demands of the non-profit sector to continue problematizing the tensions between community media and the government.