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Alert

Canal 36 television station off the air once again due to interference with its broadcast signal

(C-Libre/IFEX) - According to Esdras Amado López, the owner of Canal 36 (Cholusat Sur) television station, Honduras's de facto government is believed to be behind the interference with the broadcast signal that resulted in the media outlet going off the air on the morning of 20 November 2009.

López said that personnel at the station were surprised by the interference with the signal during the morning news programme and that a parallel transmitter has been set up with the same signal power as Canal 36, but with the difference that the frequency used by Canal 36 was authorised by the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL) while the use of the parallel frequency has been authorised by the backers of the coup d'état.

López added, "It's a pirated frequency, clandestine, used for the purpose of taking the Canal 36 signal off the air in order to prevent us from reporting on the 29 November election process."

This latest incident reported by López is yet another in a series of actions against Canal 36, which have included the destruction of transmitters, suspension of government advertising, death threats, attacks with explosives, electricity cuts and prevention of access to the presidential palace.