TV & VIDEO - April 29, 1987

Chile’s political parties will be allowed to air their platforms on television for the first time since the 1973 military coup--but only a portion of them, and those allowed will have to pay for the air time, according to National Television Council regulations published Tuesday. The El Mercurio daily newspaper reported that political parties may seek up to six minutes a day to outline their programs. But access to television--which is tightly controlled by the military government--will be open only to those parties that seek legalization under a controversial political parties law. That does not include Marxist groups, which will still be prohibited from broadcasting.