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.

[sageb1]

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

Ummm....

[VeniVidiVici]

Chavez's detractors got more ammunition Tuesday when the president included another opposition network, Globovision, among the "enemies of the homeland."

I noticed the "author" didn't go into detail here.

And just think, it took Chubby four years to act against RCTV. What a big-hearted guy!

[GWB00]

But after Chavez was elected president in 1998, RCTV shifted to another endeavor: ousting a democratically elected leader from office.

One can make the same argument about President Bush and the MSM in this country.

[Ingtar]

By the logic of this article, the LA Times is as guilty as the radio station in question. Should we expect them to cheer if they are closed down?

[massgopguy]

Back during the 80’s I worked for a company called ATEX. WE made electronic pre-press systems. La Prensa in Nicaragua was one of our customers. Murillo Ortega was on the editorial staff. When her husband took over in 1985 she shut the paper down. She said that now that the right people were in charge there would be no need for an opposition newspaper.

[BenLurkin]

For two days, 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 what? Freedom of speech means the freedom to speak.

Thousands of Chavez supporters took to the streets to demand his return, but none of that appeared on RCTV or other television stations.

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!

[arderkrag]

But after Chavez was elected president in 1998, RCTV shifted to another endeavor: ousting a democratically elected leader from office. Controlled by members of the country's fabulously wealthy oligarchy including RCTV chief Marcel Granier, it saw Chavez and his "Bolivarian Revolution" on behalf of Venezuela's majority poor as a threat.

WAAAH!!!! RICH PEOPLE OWN IT SO IT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE GOOD FOR THE POOR!!!! DID WE MENTION BUSH LIED?

Get real, people. Chavez did nothing on "behalf of the poor". He's done everything thus far to stroke his own ego and bring about an oppressive communist regime.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

heh..I DID include a barf alert..:-)

[Lazamataz]

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

CNN, CBS, NBC and ABC are doing very nicely, thank you.

[Lazamataz]

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.

[Ingtar]

I was not blaming you. I apologize if I came across that way.

[BenLurkin]

BTTT!

[hophead]

In this article, substitute BUSH for CHAVEZ and ABC CBS NBC CNN MSNBC etc for RCTV and the story would be true.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

no worries..I didn’t take it that way..:-)

[tophat9000]

So to a Liberal ... Liberal and progressive government is where the right is wrong and is illegal and were only the left is to be left

Liberal logic..it's like "1984 Newspeak" meets "Who's on first?"

[Tulane]

Wow. If Bush were to shut down the LA Times for “misinformation” I wonder what the author would think. If the television station violated laws, why not take them to court. It’s a whole other thing to shut it down completely.

[3AngelaD]

That writer is yet another reason why the LA Times is sinking into the sunset. Get this (not that I give a rat's about the subject matter):

"Why the L.A. Times is doomed: The following teaser appears, not on the front page, but at the bottom of the first page of the B section in [Sunday's] Los Angeles Times.

" 'Lindsay Lohan arrested The actress, 20, is arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after hitting a curb and shrubbery in Beverly Hills. B3.'

"P.S.: By the time L.A. residents got up to get the Sunday paper, the Lohan story had already led Drudge and been replaced by a fresher bit of news. Meanwhile, the New York Post featured an inch-and-a-half headline, plus picture, on its tabloid front page:

" 'LINDSAY DRUG SHOCK Stash found after DUI bust.' "That's the New York Post of the same day as the LAT, even though the story happened in L.A. and the Post is produced in New York. ... The Post account is also juicier."

-- Mickey Kaus, writing on "Failing the Lohan Test," Sunday in Slate.com

[Otaku6]

Like the livestock that represents the masses of liberals, all they want is a master.

They want an authortarian government and they like testing it, they will continue to test it until she who must not be named steps in.

[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!!!