"We can say that the Venezuelan people have begun to free themselves from ... the dictatorship of the private media," Chavez said in a speech late Tuesday.| It's For the Children (TM), of course... |
A law that gives the government control over the content of radio and television programs in Venezuela took effect Thursday. The new law establishes strict rules regarding violence and sexual content, and allows the government to impose huge fines or close down stations that break the rules. It also requires TV and radio stations to "broadcast all messages in Spanish" and set aside 70 minutes of programming each week for government-produced spots, said Alberto Federico Ravell, director of the privately owned Globovision television channel. "The government, starting today, began a progressive intervention of the media," Ravell told The Associated Press. He said all local TV and radio stations would be forced to "broadcast all messages in Spanish" and set aside 70 minutes of programming for government-produced spots each week. Chavez says the law will ensure programming on private TV channels is suitable for children. But opposition leaders and journalists say it is aimed at stifling criticism of his leftist government. |