Well that's what you get under Hugo Chavez who believes in democratic socialism, Latin American integration, and anti-imperialism dictatorship.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)

yeah, it's funny - I started off really liking him - Especially his "donkey speech" linked below.

Why do socialist governments always seem to deteriorate into authoritarian regimes? On the surface their ideology seems more democratic than a 'free hand' capitalist government.

Hugo Chávez and RCTV
Censorship or a legitimate decision?
by Salim Lamrani

The government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez chose not to renew the license of the audiovisual group Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), which will expire May 28, 2007. This decision, which is completely legal, created a lively debate in the international press, which has become a mouthpiece for the Venezuelan opposition and immediately denounced a case of "censorship." [1]

RCTV is a private group whose principal activity consists in denigrating the policies of the Bolivarian government. Chávez has accused repeatedly, and not without reason, the nation's four main TV channels (Globovisión, Televen, Venevisión and RCTV, which control about 90 percent of the market and enjoy a de-facto media monopoly) of carrying out a "psychological war" against his administration.

For their part, those media have given overt proof of a hostility bordering on fanaticism toward the Venezuelan president, ever since he came to power in 1999. They have never stopped questioning the legitimacy of the government and casting doubt on the popular support he logically enjoys. The private media constantly invite to their programs oligarchic oppositionists and putschist military officers who proclaim subversion and the overthrow of the constitutional order. [2]

Marcel Granier, president of the 1BC Group, which controls about 40 radio and TV channels nationwide and owns RCTV, denounced what he called a violation of the channel's rights. "This position is illegal, violates rights and attacks freedom of expression and human rights," he complained. Nevertheless, Venezuelan law stipulates that broadcast signals belong to the State, which has the right of concession, while the infrastructures, the materials and the sites of the channels are private property. [3]

The Venezuelan government immediately responded to the accusations of RCTV's president: "Marcel Granier has devoted himself to stomping on the rights of the users [...] in the belief that he is above the rule of law, which renders him unqualified to operate an open-signal TV network." According to the government, Channel 2 will hereafter be the patrimony of the entire people, not just of small groups in "the media oligarchy." [4]

But it is not RCTV's recalcitrant opposition that led Venezuelan authorities to decide not to renew the concession of the nation's oldest channel. The main reason is this: RCTV participated in the coup d'état against President Chávez on April 11, 2002. "The determining role of RCTV during the coup d'état of 2002 must be remembered," stressed William Lara, Minister of Communications and Information, who added that "that irresponsible attitude at RCTV has not changed." [5]

RCTV's participation in the constitutional breakdown of April 2002 was so extensive that its production manager, Andrés Izarra, who opposed the coup, immediately resigned so as not to become an accomplice. Testifying before the National Assembly, Izarra stated that on the day of the coup and in the following days he received a formal order from Granier "to not broadcast any information about Chávez, his followers, ministers, or any other person who might be connected to him." [6]

[snip]

The article/sources continues here: http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=11970

Really Qualm?

Do you believe that a democracy is based on gagging your opponents right to speak? Chavez has nothing to fear if he is a man of the people.

Globovision is also being shutdown. CNN is being criticized as well. Am sure the BBC will be next. All up until it's just Chavez TV.

I always disliked Hugo Chavez, because you could clearly see that he like Castro before him is coming up on the back of his people to reign in utter authoritarian control which allows you to gag dissenting voices against your goverment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6699383.stm

I'm getting the impression you don't know enough about Venezuela. Also, I feel it's a bit rich to presume that this (or any) media monopoly carries the torch for free speech. I also have to point up the difference between public free speech rights and commercial speech. RCTV does not have an inherent right to the airways, which are public property. (Off hand I can't think of a single nation for which this is not the case.)

Truth is RCTV has been relentless in calling for the overthrow of the democratically elected Chavez government (huge majority), and even regularly alludes to assassination of Venezuela's democratically elected leader.

What follows is cut from: http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/742/1/

"The accusations of "restrictions on the freedom of speech", which appear frequently in the international media, are not only inaccurate, but also simply frightening. Frankly, the discrepancy between what is reported internationally and what is happening on the ground raises concern that even respected groups like Human Rights Watch, the BBC World News, and CNN are out of touch with the real struggles of social movements in the Global South.

The decision not to renew the concession to RCTV was made after a thorough investigation of their journalistic ethics including accuracy, objectivity, and their compliance with the Law on Responsibility in Television and Radio (which was denounced by Human Rights Watch for being a restriction of free speech).

Since 1999 RCTV has spread blatant lies and outlandish manipulations of information directly attacking Chávez. It has broadcasted sexually explicit and other inappropriate material in such violation of the law (652 cases) that any honest assessment leads to the conclusion that their journalism is an attack on public health and decency. Fox News is a kitten compared to RCTV.

Beyond this, RCTV were leaders in the 2-day coup in April 2002. This coup was not only one that used the military, but also the media. During the coup, RCTV cancelled their usual programs and broadcast a two-day string of black and white fuzziness, Hollywood movies, cartoons, and infomercials. This is widely confirmed by Venezuelans. When RCTV finally covered the coup, they reported that Chávez had signed his resignation and peacefully left his post as president after his supporters had opened fire on an innocent opposition march. The images RCTV broadcasted of the violence among the marchers were later proved to have been secretively arranged so to block from view the reality; pro-Chávez marchers were firing in self-defense after having been attacked by hidden gunmen. Meanwhile, their president had been violently kidnapped. RCTV`s action were part of a blatant and well-coordinated attempt by the major media to assist the coup leaders by blinding the public to what was actually happening.

Luckily, there is an extensive system of alternative media in Latin America which spread the message of the truth, and the Venezuelan people stormed Caracas and put their president back in power, along with the majority of the National Guard which did not support the senior officers who had planned the coup. The reporting was in fact much worse than Fox News reporting that Florida went to Bush in the 2000 Presidential election and covering up all the manipulations of the voter roles.

RCTV is well-known not only for constant dishonest anti-Chavez propaganda and a complete lack of dignified analysis, but for massive amounts of advertising for sex hotlines, pornographic programs back to back between 1 and 5am, and other behavior that was considered to be irresponsible and in violation of laws protecting children."

continued...

Here is a report on the Venezuelan Supreme Court's decision regarding RCTV:

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2307


From the Guardian:

http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1180195714.html

Television's role in the coup against Chávez

Saturday May 26, 2007
The Guardian


Dear Sir,

We believe that the decision of the Venezuelan government not to renew the broadcasting licence of RCTV when it expires on May 27 (Chávez silences critical TV station, May 23; Comment and Letters, May 25) is legitimate given that RCTV has used its access to the public airwaves to repeatedly call for the overthrow of the democratically elected government of President Hugo Chávez. RCTV gave vital practical support to the overthrow of Venezuela's elected government in April 2002 in which at least 13 people were killed. In the 47 hours that the coup plotters held power, they overturned much of Venezuela's democratic constitution - closing down the elected national assembly, the supreme court and other state institutions.

RCTV exhorted the public to take to the streets and overthrow the government and also colluded with the coup by deliberately misrepresenting what was taking place, and then conducting a news blackout. Its production manager, Andrés Izarra, who opposed the coup, immediately resigned so as not to become an accomplice.

This is not a case of censorship. In Venezuela more than 90% of the media is privately owned and virulently opposed to the Chávez government. RCTV, far from being silenced, is being allowed to continue broadcasting by satellite and cable. In Venezuela, as in Britain, TV stations must adhere to laws and regulations governing what they can broadcast. Imagine the consequences if the BBC or ITV were found to be part of a coup against the government. Venezuela deserves the same consideration.

Yours,

Tariq Ali

Tony Benn

Colin Burgon MP,

Dr. Julia Buxton, academic,

Ruqayyah Collector, Black Students’ Officer, National Union of Students,

Jeremy Corbyn MP,

Jon Cruddas MP,

Megan Dobney, Regional Secretary, SERTUC

Billy Hayes, General Secretary, CWU,

Gordon Hutchison, Secretary, Venezuela Information Centre,

Kelvin Hopkins MP,

Chris Martin, Director, The War on Democracy

Joni McDougall, International Solidarity Officer, GMB,

Gerry Morrissey, General Secretary, BECTU,

Kaveh Moussavi, University of Oxford

John Pilger,

Harold Pinter,

Professor Jonathan Rosenhead, LSE,

Keith Sonnet, Deputy General Secretary, UNISON,

Hugh O'Shaughnessy, writer and journalist,

Rod Stoneman, Executive Producer, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,

Jon Trickett MP,

Gemma Tumelty, President, National Union of Students,

Cllr Salma Yaqoob.

Hugo Chavez has succeeded in having power throughout the reign of all privately owned TV stations. Suddenly they are a threat so much so that they just need to be shut down? Cable and Satellite? Please can you tell me how much of the population has access to that?

Hugo Chavez is a smart man who has played the political game well enough to get the people besides him, but anyone who views his policies with a unbiased eye will see the beginnings of concentrated take over of all goverment facilities, and concentration of power with one man.

What he doesn't want is dissenting voices. Which are slowly being locked out. Today it's these media companies. Tomorrow it's a gag order on the population. This has happened time and time again. The same in my country, let's shutdown media because they are talking bad about our great president, now we are living in a dictatorships and there are no dissenting voices. We'll see how this develops. This is my view and I won't really bother getting into Google Fu with you.

Any elected leader, who believes in democracy would have nothing to fear from media corporations because the people would see through that, via his actions.

RCTV is replaced by GOVERNMENT TELEVISION. See how that has helped democracy and freedom in nations such as Russia.

Not heard the expression Google Fu before but I think I know what you're saying. Don't want to give the impression this is a game to me. I'm just fairly up to date on developments in Venezuela. The truth is you aren't up to spec on Venezuela. You are wrong about your fears re the "concentration of power", but you can be forgiven as that's the way it's been spun - without exception - in the western press. You're also wrong about there being some government media clampdown in Venezuela. I guess you didn't read my posts. Apologies for the length, I know.

As for press freedom, the United States is tied with Croatia and Botswana in 53 place, according to Reporters Without Borders. (Interestingly, RWB is funded by the NED, that little human-rights darling started by Reagan to prop up angels like Napolean Duarte, and which functions as a sort of propaganda arm, ie. School of the Americas *light* in Latin America.)

But if we were to broaden the discussion to the general media situation in Venezuela, it must be pointed up that it has become much more pluralistic under Chavez. Community radio and similar community-based media has been encouraged and has proliferated; one of the sorts of education the Misiones are pursuing is precisely giving the people the tools to put out their own shows, and funding for co-ops has included funding for local media.

Oh, and the so-called complaints against CNN? CNN reported absurdly that Venezuela has ties to Al Qaeda. Venezuela has levied charges, and rightly so. I'm not saying Venzuela is perfect.

One thing that rarely gets discussed in the media here is that the real incomes of the poor have literally doubled in the last few years. And that's not counting the impact of the free health care or the cheap food or similar social programs--they're actually making twice as much. The economy is growing 10% a year, led by construction and manufacturing. Unemployment is down. At the same time, "informal sector" employment is down, meaning real jobs are *way* up. Illiteracy has been largely wiped out. Infrastructure is being created at a massive pace. Polls in Latin America show that of the whole region, Venezuelans are second most likely after Uruguay to consider their country fully democratic. So, more than in Brazil or Argentina or Chile or Peru or all the other places we *aren't* constantly hearing allegations of undemocratic behaviour.

RCTV was not attacked, their license expired. If you can't pass the vision test your drivers license expires and you can't drive your car, where is the outrage in that?

All our "democracys" which are run by capital intrests obviously allow these intrests to control and mold public opinion, to argue that this is somehow "freedom" is absurd. Look at how political campaigns are run, look at the "two" party system in the US.

How about we assign transmit bandwidth by lottery of every citizen and the state owns the transmitters. If your name comes up you can broadcast whatever you want for a year. That would be free, and no "democratic"/capitalist government would ever allow it.

Don't forget capital interest want you to belive that Venuzuela is oppressed, so you belive it because you are "free" to accept the only side of the story they are "free" to decide to tell you.

A lot of excuses here for the fascist dungheap known as chavez.

Take the hint, folks: anyone trying to shut down the marketplace of ideas is a tyrant who doesn't have any worth a damn.

Pat Robertson was right.

You are a complete idiot. Remove your head from the toilet that is FauxNews for at least one minute per day and take a breath.

Still dreaming of killing all those children?

Quantumushroom: "For a start, Syria and Iran should be leveled. Totally destroyed to the last grain of sand. Then we'll go from there with whomever wants to reform."

Chavez, as I'd posted above has been a great boon to the nation of Venezuela.

Farhad: "Hugo Chavez has succeeded in having power throughout the reign of all privately owned TV stations. Suddenly they are a threat so much so that they just need to be shut down? Cable and Satellite? Please can you tell me how much of the population has access to that?"

Ah, no he hasn't. There are four other privately owned stations. Only RCTV has had its licence to broadcast on public airways revoked, for reasons listed above in the Venezuelan court decision. RCTV can still be accessed through Cable and satellite.