The Economist reports that President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela is contemplating another move to curb what he sees as the “excesses” of the media. The latest target is Globovisión, a 24-hour news channel that for now faces increasing pressures but shortly may end up with a government-imposed closing.
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Globovisión is the last remaining national channel that is critical of the government. It was one of four such channels that during Venezuela’s political conflict of 2002-04, to varying degrees, egged on an opposition that was determined to oust Mr Chávez.
Yet some believe that this move could have the opposite effect:
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Some officials think that shutting down Globovisión would be a big mistake. It commands less than 10% of the audience (partly because it is free-to-air only in Caracas and Valencia). The damage to Mr Chávez’s “revolution”, these officials say in private, would outweigh the benefits.
Curiously, the official justification for the anti-Globovisión legal assault coming in a form of unexpected tax fines, investigations, and night-time raids is the one in which the government portrays itself as the victim of media:
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The president claims his popularity would reach 80% (rather than its current 50% or so) were it not for “media lies”. Globovisión must mend its ways, he insists. “Its time is running out”.
Published Date: June 25, 2009