Argentina's Comfer taps Mariotto

'Mugica' director named chief of broadcast regulator

By CHARLES NEWBERY

BUENOS AIRES -- The Argentinean government has named Gabriel Mariotto chief of the federal broadcasting regulator Comfer, effective April 1.

Previously the No. 2 at the federal government's Media Department, Mariotto replaces Julio Barbaro, who resigned after four years for undisclosed reasons.

The government is trying to improve administration at Comfer by moving it under the umbrella of the Media Department, which oversees state media company Sistema de Medios Publicos. Latter controls pubcaster Canal 7, a radio broadcaster and a newswire.

Mariotto is known as helmer and scribe of "Padre Mugica," a documentary about Carlos Mugica, an Argentinean priest murdered in 1974 by local extremists. He has produced docus including "Operacion Walsh" and "A cielo abierto."