Venezuelan Minister of Telecomunications and IT Jesse Chacón Sunday said the broadcast licenses for all of the AM radio stations operating in the country have expired and added that his office is currently reviewing the legal framework governing their broadcast licenses.

Regarding the role the news media should play, Chacón told private television Televen on Sunday that "the fact that the media are critical of the government is one thing, but using a public asset to encourage people to disregard the institutions is a whole different thing."

According to the official news agency ABN, Chacón made a call to witness the birth of newly created public service Venezuelan Social Television Station (TVes) early on May 28, "in a climate of calm, on open signal channel 2."

Channel 2 is the open signal channel currently in use by private television station RCTV, the broadcast license of which expires May 27 at midnight and which the Venezuelan government has refused to renew.

"It is impossible to revert the measure the Venezuelan State adopted not to renew the broadcast license to private TV channel RCTV, because the relevant administrative measure has been implemented."

He reminded that the move is in compliance with the Venezuelan Constitution and laws.