By The Associated Press
Martin Sabbatella, head of the Federal Audiovisual Communication Services Authority (AFSCA), Argentina’s broadcast media regulator, right, is surrounded by journalists as he leaves Clarin newspaper after officially notifying the group authorities that the government is moving forward with the process of making Clarin Group not exceed the media licenses they are allowed according to the Media Law in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. Argentina’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, that the government has a responsibility to prevent media companies from growing so large that they dominate public discourse, upholding a law that could demolish Grupo Clarin, the nation’s largest media group and a leading opponent of President Cristina Fernandez. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Martin Sabbatella
Martin Sabbatella, head of the Federal Audiovisual Communication Services Authority (AFSCA), Argentina’s broadcast media regulator, leaves Clarin newspaper after officially notifying the group authorities that the government is moving forward with the process of making Clarin Group not exceed the media licenses they are allowed according to the Media Law in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. Argentina’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, that the government has a responsibility to prevent media companies from growing so large that they dominate public discourse, upholding a law that could demolish Grupo Clarin, the nation’s largest media group and a leading opponent of President Cristina Fernandez. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina’s broadcast regulator has given Grupo Clarin 15 days to formally respond to his latest notice that it must sell off most of its television and radio licenses.
“This law must be applied, and what we’ve done today … is initiate the process,” Martin Sabbatella said Thursday outside Clarin’s headquarters, where he personally delivered another ultimatum following the Supreme Court’s approval of ownership limits for broadcast media licenses.
Clarin said Sabatella’s show of delivering notice to Clarin’s newspaper and the offices of TodoNoticias, Canal 13 and Radio Mitre violate the letter and the spirit of the court’s ruling, by treating the group differently than its competitors. Clarin said it proves “the government is driven to advance against one of the few independent voices left in Argentina.”
