Overview
- The CRT published the draft Lineamientos for radio and television in late July and opened a public consultation that closes Friday, Aug. 21, after which it will present a consolidated report and a final text to its plenary.
- The draft would require broadcasters to register codes of ethics, name a defender of the audience to process complaints, and set procedures for correcting or clarifying content while excluding digital platforms from its scope.
- A sanctions chapter that proposes fines of roughly 0.1 to 1 percent of annual revenues and the authority’s ability to monitor content have become the focal point of criticism for risking editorial chilling or legal overreach.
- CRT Secretary Executive Enrique Pavón Baños said the commission has received more than 6,000 comments, will systematize them and make adjustments, and he rejected that the proposal implies prior censorship; President Claudia Sheinbaum has likewise denied any intent to silence media.
- Opponents including rights groups, governors and community broadcasters warn the rules may exceed statutory limits and disproportionately affect social and indigenous stations, while media analysis shows roughly 79 percent of submissions oppose the draft and international commentary has flagged censorship risks.