Freedom of the Press 2008 - Ecuador

Status: Partly Free
Legal Environment: 14 (of 30)
Political Environment: 17 (of 40)
Economic Environment: 10 (of 30)
Total Score: 41 (of 100)
(Lower scores = freer)

The constitution guarantees freedom of the press. However, given that defamation and slander remain criminal offenses punishable by up to three years in prison, these guarantees are often weak in practice. Concern about the implementation of such restrictive libel laws often results in self-censorship, affecting reporting on public officials and the armed forces. In March journalist Nelson Fueltala received a sixty-day prison sentence for defamation, though the case remained on appeal at year's end. On May 10, President Rafael Correa, who has a highly combative relationship with the press, filed a libel lawsuit against La Hora publisher Francisco Vivanco for an editorial stating that Correa was governing the country through "tumult, sticks, and stones." In July the administration banned the unauthorized dissemination of clandestinely recorded videos.

Ecuadorian journalists were subject to frequent rhetorical lacerations from the president, though the level of physical attacks was low compared with the regional average. Correa used an array of colorful descriptors, calling the press "savage beasts," mediocre, corrupt, mafiosi, and "more unpleasant than pancreatic cancer." However, the Interamerican Press Association noticed a mild softening of tone following his party's massive win in elections to a constituent assembly.

Broadcast and print media outlets are privately owned except for one government-owned radio station, the newspaper El Telegrafo, which fell into state hands in May following a multi-year legal dispute, and the new Ecuador TV, which premiered in November. Outlets express a broad range of editorial viewpoints, with many critical of the president. However, most media outlets are heavily influenced by their financiers and often reflect the political perspectives of their sponsors, a situation that contributed strongly to Correa's frequent disqualifications of the media. Press issues will be addressed during the drafting of the new constitution; Correa has called for redrawing ownership rules to encourage a "healthy competition" in the media. The broadcast media are required to give the government free airtime; thus stations can be forced to show programs featuring the president and other officials. Access to the internet is not restricted by the government, but the medium is used by only 8 percent of the population.