Evandro Guimarães, director of institutional relations for Organizações Globo, plans to lobby the Communications Ministry for a renewal of Brazil?s media legislation as soon as the Senate passes a bill amending article 222 of the Constitution. Under the new article, legal entities can own media groups rather than only individuals, foreign companies can acquire up to 30%, and content must be controlled by Brazilians. This requires enabling legislation. ?We need a new media act,? he says. ?That?s the only way to guarantee national sovereignty over the industry.? The conditions for foreign investment in television, radio, newspapers and magazines also need to be spelled out, he adds. Last week Communications Minister Juarez Quadros told PAY-TV Real Time News that the Government isn?t likely to send Congress a media bill this year for sheer lack of space in its busy agenda. The general election in October also means the measures will have to wait.
New rules
