Yes - and it is a freedom expressly provided for in Art. 36 of Law No. 5846. It applies even where the right of quotation has been reserved.
Where the Rule Sits
Art. 36 sets up a three-tier structure:
| Tier | Rule |
|---|---|
| 1 | Daily news and reports published by the press or radio may be freely quoted |
| 2 | Articles and columns on social, political or economic current affairs may be taken unless the right of quotation has been expressly reserved |
| 3 | Even where the right of quotation has been reserved, those articles and columns may be taken in abridged form as a press review and published |
Where Is the Limit of a Summary?
The expression the article uses is "in abridged form as a press review". Two measures follow:
- There must be abridgement. A summary cannot be long enough to stand in for the original.
- It must have the character of a summary. Rewriting the whole piece in different words is not a summary.
The Source Must Still Be Shown
Art. 36 requires the source to be shown in all the cases it lists: the name of the newspaper, magazine or agency quoted, the name of the source where it was taken from another source, the date and issue, and the names, pen names or marks of the authors.
What Does Art. 24 of the Press Law Say?
Art. 24 of Law No. 5187 punishes two acts, and both bear on the practice of a press review:
| Act | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Republishing without citing the source | A heavy fine |
| Republishing without the permission of the owner of the periodical despite the right of republication being reserved | A heavy fine in a higher band |
A Checklist for Press Digest Pages
- Is each item genuinely abridged, or has most of the original been reproduced?
- Does each item end with the publication and the author?
- Have the date and issue been written where possible?
- Is there a link to the full original? - not a statutory requirement but good practice.
- If an image is used, has it been assessed separately? Art. 36 concerns text content.
- Daily news or a column - has the tier been determined?
Images Are Different
Summary
- Even where the right of quotation has been reserved, articles and columns on social, political or economic current affairs may be taken in abridged form as a press review.
- The limit is that there must be genuine abridgement.
- The duty to cite the source continues in every case.