Mexican institutions debate new audience rights guidelines

Mexican institutions have expressed conflicting views regarding the General Guidelines for the Protection of Audience Rights, issued by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.

The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) defended the guidelines, stating they are not an attempt at censorship or repression. Instead, the CNDH argued that these measures are essential to strengthen democracy and guarantee the right to truth. The commission emphasized that broadcasting media serves a public interest and carries a social responsibility that should transcend purely commercial logic.

Conversely, the Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM) expressed concern that the guidelines pose risks to freedom of expression. The CEM argued that administrative authorities should not act as arbiters of truth, particularly regarding ideas, opinions, or religious beliefs. The conference warned that allowing the state to sanction information deemed ‘false’ or ‘decontextualized’ could condition free speech to official criteria of veracity, potentially undermining editorial independence.