Freedom of the Press - Colombia (2004)
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 28 April 2004 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Freedom of the Press - Colombia (2004), 28 April 2004, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/473450fc23.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Status: Not Free
Legal Environment: 12
Political Influences: 32
Economic Pressures: 19
Total Score: 63
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 71
Religious Groups: Roman Catholic (90 percent), other (10 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Mestizo (58 percent), white (20 percent), mulatto (14 percent), black (4 percent), other [including Ameindian] (4 percent)
Capital: Bogota
Colombia's ongoing, 40-year-old civil war has not abated. The precarious security situation prevailing throughout the country extends especially to journalists covering the conflict between the government's military forces, heavily armed drug-trafficking groups, and various paramilitary rebel organizations, particularly the FARC, a leftist guerrilla group that retains effective political control of many areas in southern Colombia. Established laws are relatively supportive of a free press, and the media is actively critical of the government and civil rebel groups, but the national government, led by President Alvaro Uribe, lacks the political control to enforce these laws effectively. Consequently, violent reprisals and abductions are commonly perpetrated against reporters documenting human rights abuses in the civil war or the activities of drug traffickers in the region. In 2003, 4 journalists were murdered here and 40 more received death threats, making Colombia one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. A considerable amount of self-censorship results from this insecure environment. Reporting in FARC-controlled areas is close to nonexistent. After two reporters for the Los Angeles Times were kidnapped in January, the reach of the insecurity problem is understood to extend to include even foreign journalists covering the conflict. Media companies in Colombia have consolidated into huge conglomerates, all of which are owned by business groups with close ties to the political establishment. The consolidations have served to limit the range of opinion available to news consumers: These mega-companies control 80 percent of television and radio broadcasters, as well as the only newspaper with a national circulation, El Tiempo.