Damián Loreti is a professor of Social Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires. His work is focused on freedom of expression in the mass media and on social communication issues. Professor Loreti will be giving a talk entitled "Recent changes in the Latin American media landscape" on 16 February, 2011, from 3-5 pm in Ferrier 230. His biography follows below the abstract.
Abstract:
The decade that has just finished was the first in many years when progressive governments took office in Latin America. In a context of the most unequal distribution of wealth in the world and huge concentration of media outlets, usually linked to political, factual and economic powers.
During this period important political measures were taken in topics related to human rights. Since freedom of expression and right to communication are considered fundamental rights, not only in comparative constitutional law, but within the Inter-American Convention of Human Rights (22 novembre 1969).
That analysis implies knowing what is happening with the political and regulatory decisions taken during the decade, including new broadcasting rules,the adoption of technical standards in order to regulate new technologies and media, like digital tv, the destiny of the digital divide, the access to information rules and the use of criminal responsibilities for punishing criticism to politicians and public officers.
These topics are part of the so called new agenda of the freedom of information and expression in Latin America. They are part of several reports of the Special Rapporteurship for Freedom of Expression of the Organization of American States as the Inter American Commission and Court.
They are included in the recent Constitutions of Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador in terms of the explicit recognition of the right to communicate as human or fundamental rights. They are considered as such in the new "Audiovisual Communications Services Act" in Argentina, and in the "Community Broadcasting Radios Act" in Uruguay.
Nevertheless, there are discussions about how the states should - or should not - regulate these activities, and relevant questions to be answered: How laws should be designed to follow constitutional mandates? Which role is supposed to be played by the State in terms of regulator, controller, judge, broadcaster and communicator?
And the answers given by Governments are not similar.
The idea is to share an overview, in comparative terms, about how media landscape is being reshaped - or not - today in countries ruled by progressive governments.
Biography:
Damián Loreti has served as a legal consultant to many organizations including the Television National Union (Sindicato Argentino de Televisión), the Latina America Regional Office of the IFJ (International Federation of Journalists), the National Confederation of Unions of Mass Communications Workers (Confederación Sindical de Trabajadores de los Medios de Comunicación Social – COSITMECOS), the Social Communications and Freedom of Expression Regulations and the National Union of Journalists (Federación Argentina de Trabajadores de Prensa [FATPREN]) on Freedom of Expression and Social Communications issues.
He also served as a legal advisor to the Chair of the Communications Committee at the National Honorable Deputy Chamber, the “PERIODISTAS” Association, for the Defense of Independent Journalism, including advocacy before the IAHRC (Inter American Human Rights Commission) and the Legislation and Communications Rights Program of AMARC, (Association mondiale des radiodiffuseurs communautaires).
Professor Loreti graduated from the College of Law and Social Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires with a degree in Law in 1986. He received his PhD in Sciences of Information from the University Complutense in Madrid in 2006.