[The Venezuela Information Centre (VIC) have produced a special briefing on the controversial case of the private Venezuelan TV channel, Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). In late 2006, the
Venezuelan government announced that it would not renew a 20-year license to
RCTV to continue broadcasting on public airwaves. This license expired yesterday. --Ed]
Journalists Luisana Rios, right, and Miguel Angel Rodriguez, anchors of
Radio Caracas Television station (RCTV), read instructions during an
afternoon news broadcast in Caracas, May 23, 2007. Credit: Howard
Yanes/AP
The truth about RCTV - a VIC briefing
By - Venezuela Information Centre (VIC)
May 28, 2007
In recent weeks a number of press articles have
claimed that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is closing down the TV station
RCTV and that this is a sign of increasing censorship and restrictions to the
freedom of expression in Venezuela.
These are false allegations, circulated by
opponents of the Chávez government as part of a politically motivated campaign
to undermine support for the government. The truth about RCTV is very different
and below the Venezuela Information Centre outlines the facts.
1) Is the Venezuelan government shutting down the
RCTV Station?
Contrary to some reports, the RCTV station is not
being closed down. Rather, the Venezuelan government has chosen not to renew
RCTV’s licence to broadcast via Venezuela’s Channel Two when this expires on 27
May. RCTV will continue to be able to operate freely in Venezuela on the public
airwaves on cable and on satellite, as will the many TV and radio stations that
RCTV owner Empresas 1BC runs across Venezuela[i].
2) Why has the
government decided not to renew RCTV’s licence?
As with other democracies, Venezuelan law allows
the government the right to grant broadcast licences, renew them or let them
expire. The government has made the decision not to renew because of RCTV’s
violation of numerous laws – most notably the active support it gave to a
military coup in April 2002 to overthrow the democratically-elected Chávez
government.
In addition to its violation of laws that prohibit
the incitement of political violence, RCTV has not co-operated with tax laws and
has failed to pay fines issued by the Telecommunications Commission.- RCTV’s involvement in the 2002 coup
In April 2002, a violent military coup temporarily
overthrew the democratically-elected government of President Hugo Chávez. At
least 13 people were killed and in the 48 hours that the coup plotters held
power there was violent repression against those protesting for Chávez’s return
and many were shot at by the police. The coup plotters overturned key components
of Venezuela’s democratic constitution - closing down the elected National
Assembly, the Supreme Court and other state institutions.
(click here to view entire briefing)
It is really funny how people might thing that in fact Chavez is doing something for MY COUNTRY VENEZUELA, where delinquency has been growing in an alarming way… I am talking about 11,025 Homicides in 2003!!! Don’t even talk about last year quantity of Homicides… I am wonder if Mr. Charles Hardy would like to write a book about the fast growing of delinquency on CHAVEZ PRESIDENCY!!!
Think for one second, what type of people in average is a delinquent, I would say that most of the time is people with low incomes and poor quality of live, ironically that is the People that the President Chavez says He “supports & Helps”, and so I ask myself who the delinquents in VENEZUELA are then???
As of today in Venezuela the word “crime” forms part of the daily conversations where you as an average person cannot have the beautiful dreamed home (even if you have worked your whole life to have it), and if you do… Well, you better have a lot of money because you might be kidnapped. Believed or not that is a fact and even do if you are a medium class or low class person you might be kidnapped as well because EVERYBODY HAVE A PRICE in the actual Venezuelan delinquency Era.
Criminality is so bad lately in Venezuela that you cannot use nice shoes, a nice watch or a nice cell phone (if you want to still alive) although you might have it you can use it very carefully, in private parties, inside your house or relatives homes, and if you go out you better take it all of and better try to have a “low profile life”… That’s the real truth of LIVING IN VENEZUELA …
I respect all comments and opinion although I don’t agree with them, and you know what that’s so beautiful about democracy, been able to express, think and be Govern by Yourself; because the only Cancer and Enemy of the people is the Government that tries to indoctrinate it, shout it up or intimidate it.
This criminality situation that all Venezuelan are living under Chavez Government not only happens in the Metropolitan City CARACAS it is actually happening all over the Country….
Yes, it’s a wonderful CHAVEZ PROJECT of SOCIAL DESTRUCTION!!
FOR YOUR INFORMATION: CHAVEZ WAS PART OF A COUP ATEMPT AGAINST CARLOS ANDRES PEREZ (PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA IN 1992)... wHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS????
Posted by: VENEZUELA | May 31, 2007 at 03:24 AM
Let's do this point by point:
1. Is not a closing but a not renewal of a license. Not really Red Pepper because when you seize their broadcasting equipment, leaving them unable to broadcast, well, I think you pretty much shut it down since they won't be able to transmit by cable or public airwa....what? Didn't you understand that by not renewing their license they can't transmit on the public airwaves?
http://ivorytowerz.blogspot.com/2007/06/hugo-chavez-v-media-next-round.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070527/wl_nm/venezuela_rctv_dc_4
2. This is the most debatable point of your post, actually is the only debatable one since the first one is pretty much very unfunded and I think I proved you wrong already. So, lots of people say RCTV actively participated in the coup mainly, because the Chavez government said that RCTV actively participated on the coup. Now, have you seen proof of RCTV involvement on the coup? Did you ever asked yourself why, if they participated in the coup, their owner were never tried? If they had participated on the coup, the owners that is, is it ok to leave thousands out of work just to punish the people that were supposedly involved? Can you answer this questions? I don't think so.
Oh, and by the way, on your RCTV involvement on the coup, you are using the same words posted all over pro Chavez blog, yet you fail to indicate RCTV's involvement on the coup, way to go
Posted by: Saps | June 03, 2007 at 01:38 AM
You know, somebody has to explain to me the difference between "closing" and "not renewing a licence". The "licence" is a permit to "open", so not renewing the licence to "open" is awfully similar to "closing".
Posted by: Henry | June 05, 2007 at 01:37 PM
You venezueluan jerks...I bet you're living off the poor of your country...
YES THERE IS PROOF RCTV actively participated in inciting people to overthrow the government..I live on the other side of the ocean and I HAVE SEEN THOSE, only way to miss it is not even LOOKING FOR IT.
For Henry, the last jerk, NOT RENEWING A LICENSE to broadcast as a non payable channel (like any other public channel, for those who can't afford cable TV) is DEFINATELY NOT THE SAME THING as being complety SHUT OFF (which RCTV ISN'T cause they are still active broadcasting over sattelite and cable). So go back to your fancy houses in the US, worship Bush, and SHUT THE FUCK UP about chavez you morons!!!
Posted by: Luaty | March 08, 2008 at 10:07 PM