The Government Program foresees the revision of the Press Law and the reinforcement of the role of the Regulatory Entity for the Media (ERC) in supervising and sanctioning practices of disinformation and manipulation of information.
In the program delivered to Parliament today, the executive led by Luís Montenegro recognizes that the media sector is “facing enormous challenges” in the face of changes in the organization of the public and information space.
The government assumes that these changes, “in addition to affecting the sustainability of media companies and the stability of their workers, jeopardize pluralism, freedom to inform and freedom of expression, which are fundamental pillars of democracy”.
In this sense, it defends the importance of guaranteeing “the plurality, independence and sustainability of a free media, for the benefit of an informed citizenry” and presents more than a dozen measures.
In addition to revising the Press Law, in order to “correct its anachronism” in the face of transformations in society and the impact of digital platforms, Luís Montenegro’s government suggests strengthening the role, independence and effectiveness of ERC regulation.
It therefore stresses the importance of strengthening the ERC “in monitoring and sanctioning practices of disinformation and manipulation of information, guaranteeing its independence, effectiveness and coordination with other national and international bodies”.
With regard to disinformation, in order to combat it, he advocates the creation of cybersecurity mechanisms within the legal authorities or the stimulation of the creation and recognition of fact-checking platforms.
It also aims to develop a national strategy for education and media literacy that encompasses the education system, universities, libraries, associations and civil society organizations.
The government proposes to encourage the development of codes of conduct by political parties and agents so that they “self-determine principles and ethical rules for political communication”.
In the more general context of the media sector, an “action plan” should be created involving traditional and digital media, academia and civil society “in order to respond to the serious structural and cyclical problems”.
The government will evaluate the possibility of creating a deduction in the IRS for media expenses and incentive models, “study the adoption of new legal and tax business models and impact investment in the media area” and “evaluate the tax regime applicable to digital platforms”.
The executive also wants to “safeguard the role and mission of the public radio, television and multimedia service” and guarantee its independence and transparency, as well as “encouraging regional and local media”.
The Government Program of the Democratic Alliance (AD) was approved today in the Council of Ministers, on the eve of two days of debate in parliament, on Thursday and Friday.
The Minister for the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, said that the document is based on AD’s electoral program, but incorporates “more than 60 measures from the electoral programs of other parties with parliamentary representation”.
