The ERC (Media Regulatory Authority) has upheld a complaint against TVI/CNN news that reported that a diamond worth 50 thousand euros was found in Pedro Calado’s office, in the Funchal City Council, as part of the judicial searches carried out earlier this year.
The piece in question relates to the diamond said to be found in the ex-mayor’s office, stating. “Expertise betrays lawyer of the mayor of Funchal: object of negligible value is after all a diamond of 50 thousand euros.” The Regulatory Authority for the Media understands that the information cited the source in “a generic way” of an alleged assessment made by the Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, which ended up not confirming “the elements that constitute the core of the news”.
Instead, the Mint “publicly clarified that it did not carry out the assessment in question, which contradicts the only basis that supported the information transmitted by TVI,” added the regulator.
He considered, therefore, that “this action weakens the accuracy of information” and had negative repercussions “in terms of safeguarding the presumption of innocence of the target [Pedro Calado] in public terms.”
In conclusion, the ERC urges TVI to “ensure respect for information accuracy, to fight for the safeguarding of the presumption of innocence of those targeted in legal proceedings and to ensure the prompt rectification of erroneous information on its different platforms.”
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
