US Senate 'deeply concerned' over Venezuela TV closing

[cal04]

The US Senate on Friday unanimously approved a resolution expressing "profound concern" over the decision by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to revoke the broadcast license of an opposition-run television station.

On Sunday Chavez is set to shut down private Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), the country's oldest, very popular and defiant TV station he says is conspiring against him.

The resolution expresses its "profound concern about the transgression against freedom of thought and expression" in Venezuela by Chavez's "refusal" to renew RCTV's license "merely because of its adherence to an editorial and informational stance distinct" from that of the Venezuelan government.

(snip)
The resolution was introduced by Democrat Christopher Dodd -- who his seeking his party's nomination for the 2008 presidential race -- and Republican Richard Lugar .

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070525/pl_afp/venezuelamedia_070525190053

[jefferson_dem]

1. Good for them. Censorship sux, no matter who the censor is.

n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. Bullshit.

They are getting off easy with just losing their license. These are the people that openly declared for the coup when they tried to unseat Chavez a couple years ago. They were actively inciting violence against the government and Chavez. They were giving financial, as well as vocal, support to the plotters.

Try that almost anywhere else, including this country, and they'd be in prison. But Chavez not only took no reprisals once the coup was put down, but allowed them to continue broadcasting, clean through the next election where they were the voice of the opposition.

Now, with all that behind him, when their license comes up for renewal he declines to renew it. Patience can only go so far.

Good for him.

[IndianaGreen]

8. For the benefit of those "Low-info" Democrats

Published on Friday, May 25, 2007 by The Guardian/UK
We Should Back Chávez
It’s Not Too Late For Britain To Stand Against The Washington Consensus On Latin America

by Colin Burgon

Neoconservative forces, via compliant media outlets and Christian right groupings within the European parliament, are preparing their latest attack on Hugo Chávez and the government of Venezuela. The latest focus of the campaign is the decision of Venezuela’s broadcasting authorities not to renew the licence of the private television channel RCTV. The anti-Chávez apparatus once again presents a test for Foreign Office ministers.

Washington’s outriders characterise the decision as an affront to freedom of speech, yet the facts speak in louder tones. Over 80% of Venezuelan television and radio outlets are privately owned; this excludes a number of cable and satellite television networks that are widely available. Of this 80%, significant sections are owned by corporate groups. According to a recent New York Times editorial, this has led to a situation in which “even the best news outlets tend to be openly ideological…so the owners’ views can permeate reporting”.

Almost all Venezuelan newspapers remain in private hands. The press is free to report, and express opinions, without government interference. Most do so with considerable brio on a daily basis. No media outlet has encountered licensing problems for the expression of political views. No journalist has been imprisoned or punished for report or comment.

In RCTV’s case, the broadcaster failed to meet basic public-interest standards. The criterion for this assessment is similar to that used by the US Federal Communications Commission. RCTV will be free to broadcast via cable and satellite, which are available across the country.

In the UK, if Channel 4 aided an attempted coup against the government that resulted in civil unrest and even death, would anyone be supporting the renewal of its licence? RCTV has lost its licence because its wealthy owners slanted news coverage to provide support to the April 2002 coup against Chávez and the elected government. This will not be news to those who gathered in parliament last week to view John Pilger’s excellent documentary The War on Democracy, which shows footage of RCTV involvement.

As the coup failed and Venezuelans questioned Chávez’s “resignation”, RCTV prohibited correspondents from airing these developments.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/25/1453/

[IDemo]

3. Hugo is deeply concerned about 'resolutions of concern' from the US Senate

Not.

[IndianaGreen]

4. This is the same Senate that voted to continue the war in Iraq

Fuck them all!

[bamacrat]

5. Hugo is trying to make Venezuela more like America...

government controlled media.

[IndianaGreen]

7. No, he is trying to get rid of a terrorist supporting Faux News

This is like having a TV Network in the US support Al-Qaeda, and broadcast Hamas propaganda. Would you support renewing their license?

[IndianaGreen]

6. We Should Back Chávez

Here is a good article for those "Low-info" Democrats that think they know what is going on in Venezuela, such as those morons in the US Senate:

Published on Friday, May 25, 2007 by The Guardian/UK
We Should Back Chávez
It’s Not Too Late For Britain To Stand Against The Washington Consensus On Latin America

by Colin Burgon

Neoconservative forces, via compliant media outlets and Christian right groupings within the European parliament, are preparing their latest attack on Hugo Chávez and the government of Venezuela. The latest focus of the campaign is the decision of Venezuela’s broadcasting authorities not to renew the licence of the private television channel RCTV. The anti-Chávez apparatus once again presents a test for Foreign Office ministers.

Washington’s outriders characterise the decision as an affront to freedom of speech, yet the facts speak in louder tones. Over 80% of Venezuelan television and radio outlets are privately owned; this excludes a number of cable and satellite television networks that are widely available. Of this 80%, significant sections are owned by corporate groups. According to a recent New York Times editorial, this has led to a situation in which “even the best news outlets tend to be openly ideological…so the owners’ views can permeate reporting”.

Almost all Venezuelan newspapers remain in private hands. The press is free to report, and express opinions, without government interference. Most do so with considerable brio on a daily basis. No media outlet has encountered licensing problems for the expression of political views. No journalist has been imprisoned or punished for report or comment.

In RCTV’s case, the broadcaster failed to meet basic public-interest standards. The criterion for this assessment is similar to that used by the US Federal Communications Commission. RCTV will be free to broadcast via cable and satellite, which are available across the country.

In the UK, if Channel 4 aided an attempted coup against the government that resulted in civil unrest and even death, would anyone be supporting the renewal of its licence? RCTV has lost its licence because its wealthy owners slanted news coverage to provide support to the April 2002 coup against Chávez and the elected government. This will not be news to those who gathered in parliament last week to view John Pilger’s excellent documentary The War on Democracy, which shows footage of RCTV involvement.

As the coup failed and Venezuelans questioned Chávez’s “resignation”, RCTV prohibited correspondents from airing these developments.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/25/1453/