Under state pressure, Venezuela TV limits live coverage of protests

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS | Fri May 26, 2017 | 9:16pm EDT

Under state pressure, Venezuela TV limits live coverage of protests

By Deisy Buitrago and Corina Pons | CARACAS

In the mountains above Caracas, two government officials often stand watch over the antennas of TV news network Globovision, poised to take it off air if regulators object to coverage of anti-government protests, according to two station employees.

They said the 24-hour Venezuelan news station receives regular warnings from state telecom regulator Conatel against showing live footage of clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces, or broadcasting terms such as "dictatorship" and "repression."

"It's a daily threat," said one of the employees, citing information from station managers and asking not to be identified for fear of reprisals.

"Conatel is making decisions about coverage."

In contrast to past waves of unrest in Venezuela, particularly during Hugo Chavez's 1999-2013 rule, the nation's three main private television stations have provided minimal live coverage of the latest anti-government demonstrations.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-media-idUSKBN18M2DP

[GatoGordo]

1. This is old news...

Maduro (and Chavez before him) used the power of their office to emasculate any forum of information (TV, radio, printed) that didn't follow the "party line". Official mouthpieces like VenezuelaAnalysis and TeleSur are financed directly by Maduro et al, while "non sanctioned" news sources have their plugs pulled or are not given access to news print. Any information disseminated that is not approved by Maduro will get that news source closed down within 24 hours.

This is what the "Bolivarian Revolution" looks like to people who are enamored with Chavez. It is a de facto dictatorship. If it wasn't for access to the internet, Maduro would have complete control. Control over media. Cancelled elections. Nepotism and corruption at the highest levels.

[GatoGordo]

2. Maduro seeks tech to shut down internet

"Although phone ownership has rocketed in Venezuela in the past few years, roughly a third of the population still does not have an internet connection or a smartphone and rely on television for their news. And so the government responded to footage of the protests by shutting down or censoring television stations that broadcast it, as well as harassing and arresting journalists.

When citizens started using SMS messages to share information and coordinate protests, president Maduro personally ordered an investigation into phone company Movistar, claiming that it was assisting opposition to the government.

When protestors then moved to online TV stations, the Venezuelan government responded by censoring them. Vivoplay.net, elcapitolio.tv and vpitv.com have all been blocked at the DNS level, sparking letters of protest to the national telco commission Conatel and demands for an investigation. Other websites have reported denial-of-service attacks...."

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/25/venezuela_increases_censorship_surveillance/