Colombia. At the end of 2021, most of the programming broadcast on the country's free-to-air television channels was of a family and children's nature, according to the recent report on this service published by the CRC on the open data portal Postdata.
As indicated by the figures, during 2021 79% of the programming was of a family nature; while the hours of monthly children's programming presented an increase of 9.9% during 2021, reaching 7.7% of the total hours broadcast. In 2020 the figures were 83% of family programming and 7% of children's programming.
The report also reveals that 2,208 programs containing native, ethnic or Creole languages were broadcast, with an average of 159 hours per quarter in the year. This figure corresponds to 0.32% of the total programming broadcast on free-to-air television. Only regional channels and the national public broadcast programming with these dialects.
Regarding programs with support systems for the deaf and hard of hearing population (closed caption, subtitling and sign language) decreased by 3 percentage points, compared to 2020, with 84% of programs broadcast in 2021 with at least one of these systems.
Indeed, programs with closed caption or hidden text fell from 57.1% in 2020 to 51.5% in 2021 and those with sign language went from 8% to 6.9%. In contrast, programs with subtitling had an increase, going from 6.1% to 8%.
Decreased PQRS
Regarding petitions, complaints and claims to free-to-air TV channels, the report showed a decrease during most months of the year. Compared to 2020, PQRS decreased by 32% during 2021, with a total of 9,227 complaints recorded. 23% of the PQRS received in 2021 were related to information pluralism and 20% to the content of the programming broadcast.
This Data Flash also indicates that the total broadcast time of institutional spaces (broadcasts reserved by the CRC in open television channels for the broadcasting of content from State entities) was 157 hours per month during 2021, a figure similar to that observed in 2020.
"With the publication of these data, we encourage free-to-air television channels to diversify their content in favor of a more plural television, with better guarantees of access for all citizens, throughout the national territory," said Fernando Parada, commissioner of the Content Session of the CRC.
For the full CRC report, click here.
