A total of 83 journalists from different media outlets in the country and correspondents from other parts of the world signed a letter, known on February 26, which they sent to President Gustavo Petro, his ministers and other senior officials to improve access to information when presenting news of national interest and that all press conferences or informative events are broadcast on virtual platforms.
In particular, the letter is also addressed to managers and directors of decentralized departments of the national order; to the senator Roy Barreras, president of the Congress of the Republic; already David Racero, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Likewise, to the presidents of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Justice, the Council of State, the Superior Council of the Judiciary, the Judicial Disciplinary Commission, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) and international organizations with a presence and functions in Colombia.
The call is clear: “under the protection of the right to petition, information and free expression”, they demand that the leaders of the different institutions and instances mentioned give the necessary instructions to their work teams “so that all kinds of statements, conferences and press conferences that they carry out are transmitted, as a rule, through the platforms ”. In addition, they ask that the opportunity to ask questions be given, even if they are virtual.
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In the document, the journalists begin by saying that they understand that national power is concentrated in Bogotá, but that the decisions that are made there arouse the general interest of the entire country. Immediately afterwards, they reflect on how the pandemic taught that technologies today allow the delivery and receipt of information at a distance.
Faced with this reality, communicators question the “centralist management of communication strategies for matters of general interest”, which they consider to be an obstacle for the country’s citizens to be well informed to make decisions and assume personal positions on issues of debate that will have impacts on your life and future.
They say this because of the episodes that have occurred in which the media have not been able to receive the answers they require from some National Government officials, especially when the journalists are not based in Bogotá. For this reason, one of the calls is to broadcast the spaces in which information on different topics is revealed.
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“Today it is inexcusable that any State institution refrain from transmitting public statements, conferences and press conferences. This omission of the constitutional duty to deliver official information in a timely and sufficient manner to society through those of us who are press spokesmen hinders the work of journalists based outside the capital, because it prevents you from following the statements in their entirety or asking questions assertively and in real time”, the communicators express in the letter.
In addition, they point out that breaching this constitutional obligation directly or indirectly affects millions of people inside and outside the country who are interested in national news.
But the call goes beyond the National Government, also included regional entities, such as governorships and mayoralties, because from there decisions are made that are of interest and can affect the citizenry. In addition, they extended the request to the international offices with representation in Colombia, which carry out activities of public interest.
“Parallel to this respectful request, we will advance the necessary contacts with the legislators so that compliance with this request is included, mandatorily, in the internal work manuals of all official State entities,” the journalists pointed out in the letter.