Hugo Chavez versus RCTV - (LATimes writer defends Chavez - BARF ALERT)

latimes.com ^ | 5/30/07 | Bart Jones,

[GeorgiaDawg32]

"BART JONES spent eight years in Venezuela, mainly as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press, and is the author of the forthcoming book "Hugo! The Hugo Chavez Story, From Mud Hut to Perpetual"

VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez's refusal to renew the license of Radio Caracas Television might seem to justify fears that Chavez is crushing free speech and eliminating any voices critical of him.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists and members of the European Parliament, the U.S. Senate and even Chile's Congress have denounced the closure of RCTV, Venezuela's oldest private television network. Chavez's detractors got more ammunition Tuesday when the president included another opposition network, Globovision, among the "enemies of the homeland."

But the case of RCTV — like most things involving Chavez — has been caught up in a web of misinformation. While one side of the story is getting headlines around the world, the other is barely heard.

[Doctor Raoul]

While one side of the story is getting headlines around the world, the other is barely heard.

Thank God the LA Times always gives us both sides.....oh my sides!!!

[cdcdawg]

apparently, Walter Duranty lives.

[lowbridge]

RCTV's most infamous effort to topple Chavez came during the April 11, 2002, coup attempt against him. For two days before the putsch, RCTV preempted regular programming and ran wall-to-wall coverage of a general strike aimed at ousting Chavez. A stream of commentators spewed nonstop vitriolic attacks against him — while permitting no response from the government.

So whats the difference between that and and the coverage on George Bush by ABC, CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NY Times, and the LA TIMES?

[lowbridge]

Would a network that aided and abetted a coup against the government be allowed to operate in the United States?

CBS is still on the air.

The U.S. government probably would have shut down RCTV within five minutes after a failed coup attempt — and thrown its owners in jail.

Mary Mapes and Dan Rather are still running free on the streets.

[lowbridge]

[lowbridge]

Guess what -- once a year every year tens of thousands of people march for life in Washington DC but you'd never know it happened from watching NBCABCCBSCNNMSNBC!

If a tree falls in the forest, and NBCABCCBSCNNMSNBC wasnt there to report about it, did it happen? ;-)

[lowbridge]

Free Speech and the Corporate Media (Pro-Chavez Commie Barfer)

[Stultis]

Funny how similar this "Liberal's" apologia is to that of an out and open communist:

Free Speech and the Corporate Media (Pro-Chavez Commie Barfer) ^
	Posted by Stultis On News/Activism ^ 05/30/2007 5:50:23 PM CDT Political Affairs Magazine (Marxist) ^ | 30 May 2007 | Matt Parker 5-30-07, 9:24 am If a news station supports an anti-democratic coup against a democratically elected president, does that station have the right to broadcast ultra-right propaganda over public airwaves? If the government shuts that station down for its democratic violations, does that constitute an attack on freedom of speech? Do the people of a country have the right to decide what they allow broadcasted in their airspace? Or do the corporations have that right? These are some of the central questions generated by Venezuela’s recent shutdown of “RCTV”, a right-wing television channel that supported the coup against Hugo Chavez in...

[chudogg]

LOL..

George Bush versus CBS
America’s oldest private TV network played a major role in a failed 2004 coup.
By Chudogg, Chudogg spent his life in the United States, mainly as a foreign correspondent for Free Republic, and is the author of the forthcoming book “BUSH! The George Bush Story, From Recession to Roaring Economy!”
May 30, 2007

America’s President George Bush refusal to renew the license of CBS Corporation might seem to justify fears that Bush is crushing free speech and eliminating any voices critical of him.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists and members of the European Parliament, the U.S. Senate and even Chile’s Congress have denounced the closure of CBS, America’s oldest private television network. Chavez’s detractors got more ammunition Tuesday when the president included another opposition network, the LA Times, among the “enemies of the homeland.”

But the case of CBS — like most things involving Bush — has been caught up in a web of misinformation. While one side of the story is getting headlines around the world, the other is barely heard.

The demise of CBS is indeed a sad event in some ways for Americans. Founded in 1953, it was an institution in the country, having produced the long-running political satire program “60 Minutes” and the blisteringly realistic nighttime soap opera “CSI.” It was CBS that broadcast the first live-from-satellite images in America when it showed Neil Armstrong walking on the moon in 1969.

But after Bush was elected president in 2000, CBS shifted to another endeavor: ousting a democratically elected leader from office. Controlled by members of the country’s fabulously wealthy oligarchy including CBS chief Leslie Moonves, it saw Bush and his “Compassionate Conservatism” on behalf of America’s majority poor as a threat.

CBS’s most infamous effort to topple Bush came during the Sept, 2004, coup attempt against him. For weeks before the election, CBS preempted regular programming and ran wall-to-wall coverage of anti-war protests aimed at ousting Bush. A stream of commentators spewed nonstop vitriolic attacks against him — while permitting no response from the government.

Then CBS ran nonstop ads showcasing forged documents aimed at discrediting Bush’s military service. When the documents were proven to be forged, CBS continued to display them as “fake but accurate”.

After the forged documents were aired, Bush disappeared from public view for days, CBS’s biased coverage edged fully into sedition. Thousands of Bush supporters took to the streets to demand his return, but none of that appeared on CBS or other television stations. A CBS News independent panel later testified hearings on the coup attempt that CBS Staffers had a “myopic zeal that led the program to air a story critical of Bush’s service record that was based on Forged Documents” While the streets of America burned with rage, CBS ran cartoons, soap operas and old movies such as “Pretty Woman.” On September, 2004, Moonves and other media moguls met in Washington to pledge support to the country’s Democratic challenger, John Kerry, who wish to eliminate the Constitution.

Would a network that aided and abetted a coup against the government be allowed to operate in anywhere else in the world? The European Union probably would have shut down CBS within five minutes after forgery attempt— and thrown its owners in jail. Bush’s government allowed it to continue operating for five years, and then declined to renew its 20-year license to use the public airwaves. It can still broadcast on cable or via satellite dish.

Dan Rather and others should not be seen as free-speech martyrs. Radio, TV and newspapers remain uncensored, unfettered and unthreatened by the government. Most American media are still controlled by the old oligarchy and are staunchly anti-Bush.

If Dan Rather had not decided to try to oust the country’s president, Americans might still be able to look forward to more broadcasts of “60 minutes.”

[goldstategop]

The Left is totalitarian - they don't really want any one disagreeing with them. In their minds, no one is allowed to challenge them. They do believe in freedom of speech - when you agree with them. When you don't, they move to shut you down.

Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[george76]

[TopQuark]

Very telling, interesting fact. Thank you.

[TopQuark]

Can we just go on record and observe that liberals applaud killing if the victims are conservative, and liberals applaud censorship if the censored are not communists?

And they wonder why we want guns. .

BTTT