Chile

During this period there have been no major incidents against freedom of expression. There are, however, situations that could set a precedent that affects the future. The investigation by police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office into an explosive attack on Grupo Copesa in 2011 has not produced any conclusive results, despite the fact that an anarchist group publicly said it was responsible. To date no one has been held responsible for such a terrorist act. This impunity is of concern if one considers that those responsible let it be known that they wanted to frighten the press and in addition they have threatened journalists. On the legislative front, under way in the Senate is a bill that seeks to regulate the introduction of digital cable television, introduced in 2008. This bill, which initially sought to regulate the migration of the current license-holders to this new technology, a product of the multiple modifications it has undergone, has been turned into something that would provide the government with wide powers to influence television programming and content. Among other things, it would excessively increase the powers of the National Television Council, the agency that oversees the correct operation of this media, giving it authority to demand of the TV stations a certain number of hours a week of cultural programming, civic training and strengthening of national, regional and local identities. In addition, the stations would be required to promote in their content certain principles established under law, such as social, cultural, ethnic, political and religious diversity, that of sexual orientation and gender identification, among others. These requirements, added to the obligation of broadcasting campaigns of public use as defined by the government, would give undue powers to the government to influence content aired on television, in addition to seriously restricting freedom of expression and every person’s right to choose the kind of content he or she wants to see.