Mexico to implement new media guidelines for audience rights in September

New General Guidelines to Guarantee Audience Rights are set to take effect in Mexico this September. Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT), the regulations mandate that radio and television broadcasters clearly distinguish between advertising and news content, as well as between news information and opinion.

Under these rules, all sponsorships, commercial messages, and product placements must be explicitly identified to prevent misleading advertising. Broadcasters are also required to use visual or auditory mechanisms, such as on-screen graphics or bumpers, to differentiate the opinions of commentators and hosts from factual news reporting. Additionally, concessionaires must implement Codes of Ethics and designate individuals to defend audience rights.

Critics argue these regulations arrive at a time when freedom of expression in Mexico is already under pressure. Observers note a growing ecosystem of institutional mechanisms and political rhetoric that may serve to corner critical journalism, citing previous patterns of stigmatization against the press by government officials.