The amendment to the Law approved by the Government to make it mandatory for Local Authorities to publicize deliberations externally in the local press, printed and digital, was approved by Parliament without votes against, with the abstention of the PS and IL and sent to the Parliamentary Committee.
The recognition of the determining role of municipal and supra-municipal Social Communication for the transparency of Local Government was emphasized by all benches, which also highlighted the financial benefit for the necessary robustness of the local press.
This amendment to the Law also approved airtime on local radio stations for legislative and presidential election events.
How they voted and what the parties said
The PSD voted in favor and, through the voice of deputy Antonio Rodrigues, considered that “making mandatory the publication of municipal deliberations with external effectiveness in the media, regional and local in the places where people live is a measure promised for years and never carried out”.
Chega, which also voted in favor of the amendment, said, through the voices of deputies Patrícia Carvalho and Jorge Galveias, that it is “with sincere pleasure that we see the government bringing this proposal here to Parliament, a proposal that aims, above all, to put an end to the injustice that has already been in force for many years”.
In turn, the PS, which abstained, considered, through the voice of deputy David Amado, that this is “a right and progressive option that the PS follows without ambiguity, understanding that this is an instrument of pluralism and essential democratic proximity”.
The PCP voted in favor, with deputy Paula Santos agreeing “with the proposed measure and understands that the government is right to decide to grant support to the regional and local press”.
IL abstained, with deputy Rodrigo Saraiva stating that “these are costs of democracy, so providing more resources for the local and regional press is a defensible path”.
Livre voted in favor, with deputy Paulo Muacho emphasizing that “the existence of news deserts in our country and the lack of capacity that the local press has to do its scrutiny work is very worrying”.
Filipe Sousa from JPP stated that “this proposal corrects, simplifies, modernizes and brings closer together, adapting the obligations to the reality of each territory”.
The PAN and the Bloco de Esquerda (BE) voted in favor.
The support of the Regulatory Entity for Social Communication (ERC) should be noted, which valued the various dimensions of the Proposal, highlighting that the changes reinforce transparency and recognize the vital role of the local press.
Leitão Amaro affirms the Government’s support for local press
The Minister of the Presidency, Leitão Amaro, stated in the presentation of the legislative change that “so much has never been done to support this local media (…). It is a very important measure that this Government proposes and executes, also through this means local democracy will be more vibrant and will help combat news deserts (…). Many years have passed, probably decades, without anyone, anyone, having done anything decisive for regional and local media”.
The justification for the legislative change
This change in the Legal Regime of Local Authorities (RJAL) emerged to accommodate the digital press and monthly printed newspapers, in this mandatory advertising by local authorities.
Law No. 75/2013 provided for advertising, with its application dependent on the Ordinance with the price list, which was never published.
The National Association of Regional Press () states that it found in “Secretary of State Nuno Artur Silva, from António Costa’s first government, the sensitivity to start the process”.
The Minister of Culture of the government of the second PS government, Pedro Adão e Silva, continued the process, appointing advisors to work with ANIR to create the required Ordinance, which was ready for publication when the Government fell. It was an option that the inclusion of digital newspapers and monthly newspapers be included in a subsequent amendment to the RJAL.
In Luís Montenegro’s first government, Minister Pedro Duarte was very sensitive to the issue, and it was understood that the aforementioned Ordinance should cover digital and monthly payments. ANIR states that it found “in its Secretary of State Carlos Abreu de Amorim, current Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, the dedication to creating the legislative change that would also allow these bodies to be included, with the definition of the required Ordinance”.
“The government fell, and the new minister Leitão Amaro had the government approve the proposed amendment to the Law, which had been approved by Parliament, without votes against, and which is being discussed in the Parliamentary Committee”, concludes ANIR.
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