Free political ads in Mexico?

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Sep 14, 2007 | by E. Eduardo Castillo Associated Press

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's Senate has approved a broad electoral reform that would ban political parties from paying for television and radio ads and open the way for independent candidates to run for public office.

Under the measure passed on Wednesday night, television and radio stations would be required to broadcast political ads for up to 48 minutes a day without any financial compensation.

The legislation passed 111-11 despite a concerted effort by media companies to block it, but it still must be approved by the lower house of Congress, at least 16 state legislatures and President Felipe Calderon.

TV Azteca, Mexico's second-largest TV network, complained that the bill would effectively confiscate a key source of network advertising.

"The measure is ... extremely unfair," said Luis Nino de Rivera, a spokesman for TV Azteca.

Just hours before the Senate vote, a group representing the broadcast industry tried to push for a referendum enabling the public to weigh in on the bill.

The legislation would give the Federal Electoral Institute the power to regulate and assign political ads to "official time slots."

In the 2006 election, 56 percent of political campaign spending went to TV and radio ads, primarily to TV Azteca and industry leader Televisa.

The public spending has a significant impact on corporate balance sheets. Televisa's second-quarter 2007 sales in its mainline television broadcasting dipped 15.5 percent compared to the same period last year when the presidential election campaign and soccer's World Cup boosted advertising income.

Media companies argued that the changes imperil their freedom of speech by forcing them to broadcast specific ads, but some lawmakers said the industry's real quip was financial.

"Money is at the root of the radio and TV companies' objection to the measure," said Sen. Santiago Creel of the National Action Party.

The measure would also allow candidates with no party affiliation to run for public office for the first time.

The ban on independents sank 2006 presidential bids by former Foreign Secretary Jorge Castaneda and discount drugstore magnate Victor Gonzalez, the founder of Farmacias Similares.