Sept. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina’s lower house of Congress approved President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s bill to overhaul laws covering media and broadcasting.

The measure was approved early today in a 146-3 vote in the 257-member house. Opposition lawmakers left the chamber before the vote and said the legislation, which still has to be approved by the Senate, would be reviewed in December when deputies who were elected in June take their seats and the ruling coalition loses control in Congress.

Fernandez’s proposal would replace media rules approved in 1980 during a military dictatorship. It has come under criticism from some opposition lawmakers, including Adrian Perez, a member of the Civic Coalition, who said that the government seeks to “control” the press.

“It’s a violation to the main principle in a democracy, which is the freedom of speech,” Perez told reporters last night after leaving the chamber.

The bill would divide the broadcast spectrum among commercial users, government and non-profit groups. Fernandez said the changes would democratize the airwaves by easing access for universities, churches, and labor unions and by breaking a monopoly.

In a bid to gain support for the bill, Fernandez on Sept. 14 asked lawmakers to eliminate a clause that would have allowed telephone companies to sell television service.

Members of the ruling coalition rejected a request by opposition parties last week to organize hearings throughout the country, saying that the opposition wanted to delay approval of the bill until the new Congress takes over.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eliana Raszewski in Buenos Aires at eraszewski@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 17, 2009 11:35 EDT