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Media In Guatemala:
From War To Censorship
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 Part Three: Short-Sighted Television
If the communication landscape concerning radio in Guatemala is bleak, what can we say about television? Somehow, television is a replica or an extension of the feudal social organization that still prevails in Guatemala. A handful of families own huge coffee farms in Alta Verapaz, the most fertile land of Guatemala. Another group of families own the sugarcane plantations and factories along the coastal line over the Pacific. Chiquita and Dole companies control the production of bananas in Izabal. Oil companies are searching the underground of one of the most important natural conservation areas of Central America, in the Petén (the same zone as magnificent Maya cities). The whole country is clearly divided according to the zones where bananas, coffee, sugar or oil are produced, so the largest part of the territory is in very few hands. On the other hand, the largest part of the population, the Maya Indians, live and die on small parcels of fertile soil in the highlands.
Although not visible on a map, television also constitutes a big feudal possession. One man, Remigio Angel Gonzalez, a Mexican businessman who lives in Miami and accumulated his wealth during the military governments, owns the four main television channels and a cluster of radio stations. Calling them the "four main" channels is actually an understatement. The two remaining state-owned channels are invisible, though the government claims they will be brought back to life soon. The absolute monopoly over television has been consolidated since Gonzalez' brother-in-law, Luis Rabbé, was appointed Minister of Communication and Transportation.
From the point of view of President Alfonso Portillo, this is not a bad deal: The four television channels keep showing how well the government is doing the job. On the other hand, from the point of view of freedom of expression, the monopoly of television is insulting to many Guatemalans who thought things were going to change after the Peace Accords. Too often, President Portillo appears simultaneously on the four channels. Recently, in mid-March, it was to announce that he had negotiated with electricity companies a five-percent price drop to low-income consumers. Not very important news in a country where the majority of the population doesn't even have electricity, but reason enough to suspend all normal programming during the presidential speech, including cable television.
The "normal" television programming doesn't offer much choice. The two main news segments, "Noti 7" and "Telediario," regularly feature — who else? — the Minister of Communication and Transportation and other government officials.
An independent journalist and local businessman, Dionisio Gutierrez, has bought airtime from Channel 7 to air his talk show, "Libre Encuentro." This is the only television show where some criticism of government policies is sometimes heard. Another well-known journalist who was also buying airtime through sponsors for his political talk show "T-mas de Noche," was ousted last year because his show was not "profitable."
Television channels are not only totally aligned with the government, but also belligerent to the independent media. Recently in March, both Prensa Libre and El Periodico were under the attack of television. And the attacks were coupled with the harassment and intimidation of journalists by "unidentified' assailants. The case was brought to the attention of international media organizations that demanded from the Guatemalan government respect for freedom of expression. The powerful Interamerican Press Society warned the government to stop the discrediting of journalists that denounced "corruption, impunity and political manipulation of television channels." Human rights organizations requested protection for journalists that have been the target of recent death threats.
— Alfonso Gumucio Dagron is a development communication specialist with experience in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. He worked for seven years with UNICEF in Nigeria and Haiti, and as an international consultant for FAO, UNDP, UNESCO and other United Nations agencies. He was the project director of "Tierramerica," a UNEP/UNDP regional project on sustainable development, and served as communication adviser to Conservation International in Washington, D.C. Since 1997 he has been part of the Rockefeller Foundation's Communication for Social Change network.
Part One: Introduction
Part One: Print And Run
Part Two: Radio Days
Part Three: Short-Sighted Television
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