Access and Participation of Indigenous Peoples in Argentina's Media System

Abstract

The Law of Audiovisual Communication Services, sanctioned in Argentina in 2009, recognizes the right to communication of indigenous peoples. However, the indigenous struggles over their participation in the media system date back much earlier, since they have been in existence for more than three decades and are part of the historical 'inclusion' modalities of indigenous peoples in the nation. Here we propose the analysis of the antecedents of the indigenous presence in the ACS Law: the trajectory of indigenous struggles for communication rights and public policies that, prior to the enactment of the law, promoted indigenous participation in the media. Then we stop in the inclusion modality of the indigenous peoples in the law and the debates around it, recovering mainly the indigenous perspective. We analyze the main transformations that occurred aftr the enactment of the law in what refers to indigenous access and participation in the media system. Finally, we point out some challenges faced by the communities that have media, since the political transformations that have taken place since December 2015 due to the change of government in Argentina.