2 January 2007

Alert

Government considering three options for privately-owned broadcaster RCTV


Incident details

television station(s)

harassed

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(RSF/IFEX) - The Venezuelan government is considering three options for the future of the privately-owned broadcaster Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), communication and information minister William Lara said on 29 December 2006, a day after President Hugo Chávez announced that RCTV's licence was to be rescinded.

One option, Lara said, would be to entrust the running of RCTV to community-based media or small production companies. Another possibility would be to create a mixed broadcast frequency for a company that was semi-private, semi-publicly-owned. The third option, he said, would be for the state to take control of RCTV and for it to become an entertainment channel also available on cable. If the third option was chosen, the state-owned Canal 8 would be turned into a 24-hour news and public affairs channel.

Vice-President José Vicente Rangel, who is a former journalist, said the government had no intention of expropriating RCTV. At the same time, Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro defended President Chavez's 28 December announcement, saying it was necessary in order to "democratize the media."

RSF takes note of this evolution in the Venezuelan government's position on RCTV and says no decision should be taken without the agreement of RCTV's owners.

Founded in 1953, RCTV is Venezuela's oldest commercial broadcaster. As did certain other media outlets, it supported the April 2002 attempted coup against President Chávez.



Source:

Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
 

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More on this case

Government forces RCTV to stop cable and satellite broadcasting 1 August 2007 Government could make RCTV unavailable by cable on 1 August 27 July 2007 RCTV ceases broadcasting, amid escalating reactions to government's decision to not renew its frequency concession 30 May 2007 New public television broadcaster to use RCTV frequency; RCTV will be limited to operating by cable or satellite 29 May 2007 Non-renewal of RCTV license a threat to media pluralism, will cost 2,000 their jobs, says IFJ 26 April 2007 Other media outlets less critical in wake of "predetermined" non-renewal of RCTV licence, says CPJ report 25 April 2007 AMARC says automatic renewal of broadcasting licenses "inappropriate and unjust", that RCTV "violated citizens' right to information" during 2002 coup 20 April 2007 Minister ratifies non-renewal of broadcasting license for RCTV television station 12 April 2007 IAPA condemns President Chávez's non-renewal of television network's license 29 December 2006 Future of private television network may be subject to referendum and its broadcast frequency offered to cooperatives 21 December 2006

Venezuela

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