[View the story "Argentina's message war" on Storify ]Argentina's message war Is media fueling the country's anti-government protests? Storified by The Stream · Wed, Nov 14 2012 10:26:10
On November 8th, demonstrators banging pots and pans converged on the streets of Argentina to protest against the polices of President Kirchner. The president's critics fault her administration for economic problems, political scandals and interfering with press freedoms.
Wow #8N http://pic.twitter.com/QwTQ3NbWblopa
A picture of protesters gathered around the Obelisk of Buenos Aires:
Buenos Aires, today, protests against Christina Kirchner.#ChristinaKirchner #protest #Argentina #BuenosAires http://twitpic.com/bblq55Christopher Korp
Kirchner won her second term following the 2011 general election. She is also the widow and political heir of former president Néstor Carlos Kirchner.
"Soy un soldado de Cristina." - Néstor Kirchner http://pic.twitter.com/BzRqPl8EEquipo CFK
MASSIVE PROTEST IN BUENOS AIRES 8 NOV 2012califo777
During the protest, rumours began circulating that the government had
closed the airspace over Buenos Aires. Below, footage of the demonstration from a group of citizen journalists that filmed the event with
a camera drone :
EXCLUSIVO @ElCipayo - Vista aerea del #8N en el ObeliscoEl Cipayo
Drone camera captures Argentina's #8N protestsView the story "Drone camera captures Argentina's #8N protests " on Storify] Citizens take creative measures to film anti-government prot...
NestorAJstream
Argentina's media has played a central role in the protests, as Kirchner attempts to
strip the country's largest media conglomerate ,
Clarin , of most of its assets by December 7.
This post from the
Argentina Independent argues that the government's "7D" initiative isn't simply an attack on press freedoms, but a take-down of a business representing its own political interests.
In Argentina, politics has become to a large extent a war between pro and anti-government media groups unabashedly campaigning for their own interests, without much regard for the traditional laws of journalistic ethics. An interesting debate about the role of the media has since ensued, not only in Argentina, but also in Latin America and other parts of the world. The sanctity of journalism and its classic role as the “fourth estate” have been brought into question as big media groups are, analytically speaking, stripped bare and shown for what they mostly are: businesses. Powerful businesses, with political interests and a massive influence over public opinion and politicians alike.Opposition and Media in Argentina - The Argentina Independent | The Argentina Independent
A pro-government caricature depicting the protesters as puppets of Clarin:
ClarinAJstream
This post from the blog
Digo Pavadas questions the message of the #8N protests, and asks if there's a message at all:
"On the other hand, we have the message. What is it that they are calling for? That the politicians become less corrupt? That they become more honest? That they don't steal? That they comply with the constitution? That there is a real separation of powers? I don't really know what they are calling for". Por otro lado, tenemos el mensaje. ¿Que es lo que se pide? ¿Que los gobernantes sean menos corruptos? ¿Que sean mas honestos? ¿Que no roben? ¿Que cumplan la constitución? ¿Que haya real separación de poderes? ¿Que vuelva el 1 a 1? No se sabe muy bien, que es lo que se pide.Digo pavadas...
The blogger continues: "To be honest, I don't think this is the message. Because you cannot ask the government to do something we cannot. Of course not all of us, but many of us are complicit in corruption in the end, and that is what tells us there is not a legitimate independence among the powers of the state".
Bueno, creo que si ese no es el mensaje, estamos jodidos. Porque no se le puede pedir al gobierno que haga algo que no hacemos. Claro que no todos, pero en muchos casos somos complices de la corrupción final que es la que permite que no haya una independencia legitima de los poderes del EstadoDigo pavadas...: #8N
Social media has helped to fuel the discussion in Argentina, with many creating pro- and anti-government campaigns on Facebook, Twitter and other networks. Pages like "
YO NO VOTE A LA KRETINA Y UD " and "
EL ANTI K " were used to stir anti-Kirchner opinion.
A promotional video showcasing an array of different Argentines not participating in the 8N protests:
8N YO NO VOYnatygomez1000
A report by Argentine journalist Jorge Lanata found that at least 200 fake Twitter accounts had been created to spread pro-government messages online. All the profiles claimed to be politically-interested individuals or Argentine journalists. In Lanata's report, he interviews some of the people whose identities were used without their permission. One pro-government Twitter account even used the identity of a popular Spanish singer, whom Lanata interviews below.
TeleFama.com.ar [Parte 2] Informe "Los Cyber K" - Jorge Lanata en Periodismo para todostelefamaweb
On Twitter, netizens shared their opinions about the #8N protest. Supporters used the hashtag "
8NYoVoyPorque ", or "I'm not going because":
@VickyLuciani says, "I want my country back!"
#8NYoVoyPorque quiero mi pais de vuelta! 8N I will go because I want my country back!Viicky
@jabberwocky_MR writes, "I love Argentina and I'm tired of political evils, inept, demagogues, corrupt, hypocrites, liars and unpunished."
#8NYoVoyPorque amo mi Argentina y estoy cansado de políticos lacras, ineptos, demagogos, corruptos, hipócritas, mentirosos e impunes.Martín Rodríguez
@MarcePCsolution tweets, "I'm going because I am sick of corruption. All kinds of: politicians, unionists, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, hooligans, etc."
#8NYoVoyPorque estoy harto de los corruptos. Sean políticos, gremialistas, empresarios, comerciantes, taxistas, trapitos, barrabrabas etc#6D x Once & Candela
@Lina8c writes, "I'm going because I think for myself. For me neither a magnet or a diary can tell me what to think, I see it in the grocery store and on the streets, not on TV."
#8NYoVoyPorque pienso por mi misma. A mi ni Magnetto ni un diario me dicen que pensar, lo veo en el supermercado y en la calle, no en TN.Giulietta
@martinyeza says, "I don't want to live in a country where they catch the vice president in corruption, they kick out the attorney general, and corruption becomes a state policy"
#8NYoVoyPorque no quiero vivir en un país en el q descubren al Vice en un curro, echan al procurador gral de la nación y estatizan el curro.Martín Yeza
On the other hand, those opposed the protests tweeted with the hashtag "
8NYoNoVoyPorque ", or "I am not going because":
@Yaanii4 says, "I'm very proud of the government of my country!"
#8nYoNoVoyPorque Estoy muy orgullosa del gobierno de mi pais !Yani R
@micaperticone writes, "I see no dictatorship, no missing people, no torture, and no militants. I see democracy, human rights and nationalization. (54%)"
#8NYoNOvoyPorque no veo ni dictadura, ni desaparecidos, ni tortura, ni militares. Veo democracia, derechos humanos y nacionalización. (54%)Micu Lito
@kevinemanuel2 tweets, "I'm not going because those who want a coup in the name of 'freedom' are hypocrites"
#8NYoNoVoyPorque son hipocritas aquellos que reclaman "libertad" y quieren un golpe de estado ¬¬L0cO™
@CrisHendriks says, "Historic changes on equality and inclusion are occurring in my country and I want them to go farther!"
#8NYoNoVoyPorque se están produciendo cambios históricos sobre igualdad e inclusión en mi país y quiero que se profundicen! #VivaArgentinaCristian Hendriksen
@LeoGauna2 says, "I'm not going because I believe in my president and in my people"
#yonovoyporque creo en mi presidenta en mi puebloLeo Gauna
