- Venezuelan TV station Radio Caracas Television's (known
as RCTV) VHF Channel 2's operating license expired May 27, and it went
off the air because the Chavez government, with ample justification, chose
not to renew it. RCTV was the nation's oldest private broadcaster, operating
since 1953. It's also had a tainted record of airing Venezuela's most
hard right yellow journalism, consistently showing a lack of ethics, integrity
or professional standards in how it operated as required by the law it
arrogantly flaunted.
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- Starting May 28, a new public TV station (TVES) replaces
it bringing Venezuelans a diverse range of new programming TV channel Vive
president, Blanca Eckhout, says will "promot(e) the participation
and involvement of all Venezuelans in the task of communication (as an
alternative to) the media concentration of the radio-electric spectrum
that remains in the hands of a (dominant corporate) minority sector"
representing elitist business interests, not the people.
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- Along with the other four major corporate-owned dominant
television channels (controlling 90% of the nation's TV market), RCTV played
a leading role instigating and supporting the aborted April, 2002 two-day
coup against President Chavez mass public opposition on the streets helped
overturn restoring Chavez to office and likely saving his life. Later
in the year, these stations conspired again as active participants in the
economically devastating 2002-03 main trade union confederation (CTV) -
chamber of commerce (Fedecameras) lockout and industry-wide oil strike
including willful sabotage against state oil company PDVSA costing it an
estimated $14 billion in lost revenue and damage.
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- This writer explained the dominant corporate media's
active role in these events in an extended January, 2007 article titled
"Venezuela's RCTV Acts of Sedition." It presented conclusive
evidence RCTV and the other four corporate-run TV stations violated Venezuela's
Law of Social Responsibility for Radio and Television (LSR). That law
guarantees freedom of expression without censorship but prohibits, as it
should, transmission of messages illegally promoting, apologizing for,
or inciting disobedience to the law that includes enlisting public support
for the overthrow of a democratically elected president and his government.
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- In spite of their lawlessness, the Chavez government
treated all five broadcasters gently opting not to prosecute them, but
merely refusing to renew one of RCTV's operating licenses (its VHF one)
when it expired May 27 (its cable and satellite operations are unaffected)
- a mere slap on the wrist for a media enterprise's active role in trying
to overthrow the democratically elected Venezuelan president and his government.
The article explained if an individual or organization of any kind incited
public hostility, violence and anti-government rebellion under Section
2384 of the US code, Title 18, they would be subject to fine and/or imprisonment
for up to 20 years for the crime of sedition.
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- They might also be subject to prosecution for treason
under Article 3, Section 3 of the US Constitution stating: "Treason
against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them,
or in adhering to their enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort" such
as instigating an insurrection or rebellion and/or sabotage to a national
defense utility that could include state oil company PDVSA's facilities
vital to the operation and economic viability of the country and welfare
of its people. It would be for US courts to decide if conspiring to overthrow
a democratically government conformed to this definition, but it's hard
imagining it would not at least convict offenders of sedition.
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- Opposition Response to the Chavez Government Action
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- So far, the dominant Venezuelan media's response to RCTV's
shutdown has been relatively muted, but it remains to be seen for how long.
However, for media outside the country, it's a different story with BBC
one example of misreporting in its usual style of deference to power interests
at home and abroad. May 28 on the World Service, it reported RCTV's license
wasn't renewed because "it supported opposition candidates" in
a gross perversion of the facts, but that's how BBC operates.
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- BBC online was more nuanced and measured, but nonetheless
off the mark in key comments like reporting "Hundreds of thousands
of people took to the streets in Caracas Sunday, some to celebrate, others
to protest" RCTV's shuttering. Unexplained was that Chavez supporters
way outnumbered opponents who nearly always are part of rightist/corporate-led
staged for the media events in contrast to spontaneous pro-government crowds
assembling in huge numbers at times, especially whenever Chavez addresses
them publicly.
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- BBC also exaggerated "skirmishes" on the streets
with "Police us(ing) tear gas and water cannons to disperse (crowds)
and driving through the streets on motorbikes, officers fired plastic bullets
in the air." It also underplayed pro-government supportive responses
while blaring opposition ones like "Chavez thinks he owns the country.
Well, he doesn't." Another was "No to the closure. Freedom."
And still another was "Everyone has the right to watch what they
want. He can't take away this channel." BBC played it up commenting
"As the afternoon drew on, the protests got louder." The atmosphere
became nasty. Shots were fired in the air and people ran for cover. It
was not clear who was firing" when it's nearly always clear as it's
been in the past - anti-Chavistas sent to the streets to stir up trouble
and blame it on Chavez.
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- BBC's commentary ended saying "The arguments highlight,
once again, how deeply divided Venezuela is." Unmentioned was that
division is about 70 - 80% pro-Chavez, around 20% opposed (the more privileged
"sifrino" class), and a small percentage pro and con between
them.
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- Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
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- Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and
listen to The Steve Lendman News and Information Hour on TheMicroEffect.com
Saturdays at noon US central time.
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