Honduran radio program taken off air after pressure from city’s mayor
Honduran radio program taken off air after pressure from city’s mayor
Published on Tuesday 2 September 2014.
The program “Noticiero Independiente” (Independent News), broadcast by Radio Estereo Castilla in Trujillo, was taken off the air on 20 August as a result of pressure from the city’s mayor.
In a statement issued by the Committee for Freedom of Expression on 18 August, the presenter Miguel Dubon reported the efforts of the mayor of Trujillo to censor his program. The journalist said the electricity was cut off regularly at the time the broadcast, known for its criticism of the local government, was scheduled.
Two days later, the radio station’s manager told Dubon that “Noticiero Independiente”, which had been broadcast for 12 years, was being cancelled as a result of pressure from the local authorities and from a representative of the National Telecommunications Commission. According to Dubon, a city councillor had put pressure on the manager of Radio Estereo Castilla.
“I want to ask you a favour,” he quoted the councillor as saying. “You will fire that son of a bitch from the station. If you get rid of him, the mayor will make sure you are paid 7,000 lempiras. If you don’t, then they will close down the station.”
More:
http://en.rsf.org/honduras-honduran-radio-program-taken-off-02-09-2014,46882.html
