Brazilian community broadcasters seek new licenses and funding

Representatives from community radio and television stations presented demands to the Brazilian National Congress and the federal government during a hearing at the Chamber of Deputies' Human Rights Commission. The groups are seeking new broadcasting licenses, increased financial resources, and the approval of Bill 10637/18.

Bill 10637/18 aims to increase transmission power limits and the number of available channels for community communication. While the bill has already passed the Senate, it has faced resistance in the Chamber's Communication Commission since 2018. Geremias dos Santos, president of the Brazilian Association of Community Radios (Abraço Brasil), argued that community media serves as a vital alternative to large commercial media monopolies.

Additionally, Paulo Miranda, president of TV Comunitária de Brasília, called for the creation of a national funding fund to support alternative and popular communication. Letícia Vieira Montandon of the National Forum for the Democratization of Communication presented a document titled ‘20 points for democratic communication’ to be shared with political candidates. The Ministry of Communications noted that Brazil currently has 11,700 radio stations, 5,406 of which are community-based.