Alexander Alfie
08/18/2020 - 16:42
- Clarín.com
- Politics
Government officials said that the public media should be strengthened, to promote pluralism and diversity. But the coverage of the largest protest against the government showed its worst vices, turned into militant journalism and government propaganda apparatus.
Public TV and the news agency Télam reproduced a skewed agenda of repudiation and minimization of the popular mobilizations of 17A, centered on the "march against quarantine" and the exclusive opinion of those who opposed the protest against the Government.
“Antiquarantine march in the Obelisk” titled Public TV at 6:45 p.m., in its first mention of the protest that had been taking place since 4 p.m. in the main cities throughout the country, during the Altavoz youth program, which insisted with the possibility of more infections that the protest of the "anti-quarantine" would entail.
The main photo with which Télam headed his chronicle on the massive mobilizations against the Government.
The host of the program questioned the "small irresponsibilities that can cost the lives of many people and even health workers like you," the journalist told the doctor Adriana Fernández. And she added: "Today's march hurts," because people get coronavirus there.
A speech that was repeated by the newscast, also with the accompaniment of another doctor in the channel's studios, Sergio Perrone, who questioned the "debauchery promoted by these politicians" and advised "to shut up , because if they keep their mouths shut they will save themselves many lives. "
After referring to Mauricio Macri, Patricia Bullrich and Miguel Pichetto, Perrone said: "It would be strange to me if you could go out on the street , after the atrocities you have committed and those you commit, like this one you have committed today, inciting that people to attend to become infected ".
The massive protest against the Government. Photo Juan Ignacio Roncoroni / EFE.
While the news doctor railed against the political leaders of the opposition, the zócalo reiterated that it was an "opposition march at the peak of contagion." And he encouraged the audience to perform "at 9 pm, applause our heroes", as if it were a counterproposal to the massive popular mobilizations.
"Antiquarantine march and applause for health heroes" was the note that Public TV later put on social networks, referring to the "two diametrically opposed calls" that took place on August 17. "The most disseminated by the media was the mobilization encouraged by a part of the opposition, which incited to break the mandatory isolation and mobilize against the health measures with which the Government intends to prevent the increase in cases of coronavirus", supported the news portal of Public TV.
Despite the fact that Kirchnerism always boasted of carrying the Audiovisual Communication Services Law as its flag, it never registered its article 121, which establishes that the media that are members of Radio and Television Argentina - such as Public TV - have the obligation to "respect and promote political pluralism ” . Something that the state company chaired by Rosario Lufrano obviously did not do in the coverage of the 17A protest.
March on the Obelisk against the Government. Photo Federico López Claro.
In the same vein of militant journalism, the Télam news agency illustrated its main story on the massive mobilizations throughout the country with a photo of a young man carrying a sign that read "48% imbeciles", alluding to those who voted for favor of the government of Alberto Fernández and Cristina Kirchner.
Under the title "Opposition mobilizations in different parts of the country with slogans against isolation," the state news agency reinforced the idea that the march was against quarantine. And he sought to disseminate the worst images of the protest among the media subscribing to his public information service, with photos of people insulting those who had voted for the Government, carrying posters in favor of the use of chlorine dioxide or demanding "enough of tyranny".
As one more sample of the militant journalism exercised by the agency commanded by Bernarda Llorente, Télam's chronicle of the popular mobilizations of 17A had more opinions against those marches than those of those who went to protest against the Government. Even the first note that Télam sent, just at 6:14 p.m., titled that "Some leaders of Together for Change went to the march and others asked not to demonstrate," as if that was the most important thing in the mobilizations that took place throughout the country.
The main note about the 17A protests that Télam kept on its news portal for the longest time was an interview with the Chief of Staff, Santiago Cafiero, where the official asked “forgiveness from the health workers for not having been able to avoid the March". And he added: "When all this happens, the vast majority of Argentines will be able to say that we promoted solidarity and that we honor the memory of those killed by this disease. Among that vast majority there will be men and women from all over the country and of all parties. But there will also be a minority that will not be able to say this when they look at their children, "Cafiero concluded.