City government of Buenos Aires wants Channel 5 (C5N) off the air; closes one of its facilities.

[forest444]

The government of the City of Buenos Aires has closed down a warehouse used to house mobile units from the C5N television station, in another attempt to silence the channel's news output. Two City inspectors later appeared at the studio, and offered to move the security tape marking the closure without presenting the necessary documents nor revealing who emitted the order for the measure.

The only explanation given by City authorities is that the closure was due to "safety failures and lack of permission," although the warehouse has been operative for more than eight years in the same conditions. An inspector then compared the site with a restaurant and that they would seek to remove the necessary items.

This latest attack comes two months after the administration led by the right-wing PRO presidential candidate, Mauricio Macri, removed all the City's advertising budget from the channel, in a clear effort to financially suffocate and control freedom of expression.

The channel has released a press statement in reference to the closure:

They want to see C5N off the air

First it was the economic gag, starting two months ago the City government has cut off all advertising money to the channel in a clear message of economic censorship aimed against the freedom of our journalists to report. Now the gag comes in the form of the closure, after the investigation and reports which are public knowledge and which aired on this channel, leaving a web of corruption which involves the government exposed (The Niembro case).

The persecution against C5N has begun by closing one of its facilities. Freedom of expression is a constitutional guarantee and the City government wants to control it by closing the channel. We will continue to report 24 hours a day in spite of these 'gags' that seek to keep silent the biggest asset a media outlet has: the freedom to inform the people.

At: http://buenosairesherald.com/article/198962/city-government-wants-c5n-off-the-air-closes-one-of-its-facilities

[Judi Lynn]

1. Surely Macri and his fascists shouldn't be able to pull this off permanently.

Absolutely monstrous.

Hope the people of Argentina will fight back on this, as it could be a totally unwholesome step right back into the past.

Please keep us updated on this situation if you find out more, and think of it.

If only he will get called on it.