Chihuahua Human Rights Commission weighs media audience guidelines

The State Human Rights Commission of Chihuahua (CEDH) has participated in a public consultation regarding proposed General Guidelines for the Protection of Audience Rights. The commission acknowledges the necessity of strengthening mechanisms to protect radio and television audiences while simultaneously preserving freedom of expression, journalistic practice, and editorial freedom.

In its institutional opinion, the CEDH emphasized that the role of the Audience Defender must be designed with independence, accessibility, and effective protection capabilities. Regarding Ethics Codes for concessionaires, the commission suggested they maintain a self-regulatory nature and provide simple, effective mechanisms for audiences to voice grievances.

Furthermore, the CEDH warned that the powers of the telecommunications regulatory body must be clearly delimited. This is intended to prevent audience protection measures from evolving into undue interventions in journalistic content, opinions, or editorial decisions. The commission maintains that regulation must balance audience rights with democratic pluralism to avoid inducing self-censorship or indirect state intervention.