The doctor in social sciences and degree in social communication, Marcelino Bisbalhopes that the proposed reform of the Law of the Exercise of Journalism not become “a new attack on the world of communications.”
But he is not very optimistic regarding the role that the Legislative powercurrently dominated by Chavismo, because it considers that in this parliamentary body there is no room for plurality.
The chairman of the advisory council of the Press and Society Institute (IPYS) Venezuela He believes that it is pertinent to adapt the legal framework to new technologies, but he defends the professionalization of journalism.
— Congresswoman Carola Chávez affirms that “a law cannot be made only for graduate journalists when different forms of exercise are taking place in society.” Do these statements point to the deprofessionalization of journalism?
— What the deputy proposes is not new, the late president Hugo Chavez pointed out, along with some journalists close to the government palace, that the Law on the Exercise of Journalism had to be reformed, and also said that it might not be only for journalists who graduated from the academic field, but that there was another sector referring to the popular media , alternative and community.
Shortly following, the Executive itself presented a bill for alternative media that was not approved. Then Chávez died and with President Nicolás Maduro the policy once morest not only traditional but independent media intensified. It is used to Conatel (National Telecommunications Commission) as a political instrument, so much so that Conatel becomes assigned to the Vice Presidency of the Republic.
Now the deputy returns with this theme. From the little that she stated, I feel that there is a deep resentment towards the academic world, the university, towards the intelligentsia and thought.
It is evident that there has to be a reform of the Law of the Exercise of Journalism because new media have emerged through the world of the internet and telecommunications that generate a slightly different narrative. However, that has its drawbacks because conceptually it has to be the same, what happens is that the support and the narrative suffer some changes from the new technologies and one can understand that a more modern law is required.
There has been talk of citizen journalism, we have to discuss what that means, is reporting left and right, without checking the sources and the veracity of the information and making it viral on social networks, is journalism? I think not. That is another thing that you can call disclosure of information, of gossip or of fake news.
The Law of the Exercise of Journalism restricts these alleged journalists who disclose information of all kinds without corroborating the sources, the veracity, so it seems that they want, with the reform, to include everyone in the same bag.
— Can an AN totally biased with a political sector guarantee protection to journalists?
— What you say is very true, we have a National Assembly that is totally chavista. When they are all of the same color and have the same thought, I don’t think that plurality will arise from that, nor will a proposal that will professionally defend the interests of journalists, but rather the interests of a sector.
I don’t think there is plurality there and that it will be instrument that defends journalists that they broadcast information that is uncomfortable for the government sector, we already know what has happened with critical information that is simply branded as terrorist, destabilizing or that generates hatred.
Democracy implies pluralism, differences of thought, freedom of communication like the one defined by Antonio Pasquali and that is not possible in today’s Venezuela.
You see this in the number of media outlets that have closed because supplies are not authorized to buy newsprint, for example, or in the report in which Movistar reports that it is espionage in the country. It strikes me when one hears some of the government officials say that there is absolute freedom of expression when it is a fallacy.
— What aspects do you consider should be modified in the current law?
— I think that one might agree with the deputy (Carola Chávez) when she says that other media and platforms have emerged and that a very particular way of journalism is exercised there, in quotes.
The world of communication is much more complex, it is no longer just traditional media. There is a whole discussion regarding whether the freedom of expression it has to be regulated or not on the internet, for example. If the Internet should be regulated, the Inter-American Press Association says no, I believe that certain self-regulatory mechanisms should be established. This is an issue that must be taken into account.
The reform also necessarily involves reconsidering the professional that we are training today. At the Andrés Bello Catholic University, the school of communication is going to make a proposal to reform the study plan, the Central University of Venezuela is the same, there is a need to reformulate some things in the world of communications.
But there is an idea that we have to keep in mind beyond a reform and that is that in all communication there is a conceptual level and a formal level, the formal levels of presentation of the news event change because the media through which they are transmitted have changed, therefore , the narratives have changed. But conceptually the truth of information and public utility of the information is key and should not be changed.
— Is this reform proposal a risk or an opportunity?
I think it’s a risk, but also an opportunity. Everything will depend on the type of consultation made by the permanent commission of the National Assembly to different sectors of life in the country. You should consult the entities that are trainers of this type of professional, the guild. You have to listen to their approach. That is an opportunity.
It is also a risk because they may wipe the slate clean and do not include anyone who is not affected by Chavismo because we are not in a democratic system.
— Has the National Assembly built bridges with sectors of civil society to carry out these consultations?
I do not know. I hope that this reform proposal don’t be a new onslaught once morest the world of communications and that the National Assembly consults the union and all the sectors involved, I believe that we must express our proposals knowing that it is possible that they will not listen to us.
A broad discussion
Cocuyo effect consulted the National Association of Journalists and the National Union of Press Workers, but these organizations are evaluating the legislative proposal and will issue a statement in the coming days.
Since Public spacethe communicator and human rights defender Carlos Correa highlights the importance of guaranteeing the participation of all interested actors in Parliament.
“The Law of the Exercise of Journalism is a historical construction that responds to a desire of Venezuelan journalists who promoted their professionalization. it was a project built from the ground up and it seems to me that this reform initiative is made from the elite, not from the needs of the people, to this is added the fact that only one sector of the population is represented in the National Assembly, there is mistrust and it is not the best climate to initiate a reform”, he exposes.
