LEDA PIÑERO
EL UNIVERSAL

The cards have been laid on the table. Last December 28th, President Hugo Chávez announced loud and clear that the broadcasting license to private TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) would not be renewed. Further, the ruler said that his Government will not tolerate any media engaged in coup attempts.
 
"What is at stake in Venezuela, what is envisaged as to decisions on the issue of the media, is that we could lose any possibility to choose; that, for the benefit; for this perfect, good benefit; for this ideal of the Bolivarian political process, only one way to see things may be imposed, with no possibility to choose," feared Andrés Cañizalez, a researcher at the Communication Research Center, Andrés Bello Catholic University (UCAB).

"In addition to (state) TV channel 8, Vive TV, the National Assembly channel, we will have also CMT," said Cañizalez. The fact of the matter is that people should have the opportunity to choose what they want to see, regardless of being in agreement or not with the contents disseminated by the media, the expert pointed out.

Sure enough, TV channels such as RCTV or Globovisión, broadcast shows where clear positions are taken and criticism is made of the Government. But also the news shows of the Venezuelan media cover interesting events "with a different emphasis."

"It is good to have such different views available and to choose between one way and another. As there is possibility to choose, regardless of being bad things, people themselves will be free to choose," he asserted.

Cañizalez, also a journalist and university teacher, made reference to societies, such as Cuba and China, where the media are in the hands of the State. This is the case for newspaper Granma in Cuba and The People's Journal in China.

There, "there is no possibility of airing different points of view." Therefore, the media should advocate democracy. "To the extent that they do not defend democracy, they will be endangered."

Translated by Conchita Delgado
cdelgado@eluniversal.com