EL UNIVERSAL

Hugo Chávez government is to take control temporally of the broadcast equipment of private TV channel RCTV, according to a rule by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ). The action is aimed at ensuring the new TV channel Televisora Venezolana Social -replacing RCTV - can be watched all over the country.

The TSJ said that the expiration of the broadcast license of RCTV on May 27 should not translate into a poor service. In order to allow all the Venezuelan TV watchers to access the service, the top court ordered the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) to take control of broadcast equipment RCTV possesses nationwide to guarantee that the new channel TVes has the necessary infrastructure to cover the same areas currently covered by RCTV.

The opposition TV channel was ordered to hand over all the facilities and equipment including transmission equipment and antennas, and electric installations.

The top court also ordered the Armed Forced to guard, monitor and control permanently the use of installations and equipments and guarantee their use by the new Chávez channel.