Banned Venezuelan TV Stations Keeps Broadcasting... On YouTube
from the no-reason-to-shut-down dept
Someone who prefers to remain anonymous submitted this long first person account of what's happening in Venezuela with the shut down of a popular TV station by the government. The article explains the background, though, from an opinionated position. The political drama isn't all that interesting, to be honest (we're a tech blog, remember...), but in the middle of the article, it notes that the employees of the "shut down" TV station have simply moved on to broadcasting via YouTube -- and plenty of people are tuning in and showing their support. While broadcasting on YouTube may not be as powerful as being on the network, this does highlight how silly it is to think that a group or government or company can control the media these days. The tools are increasingly available to make sure that there are always alternate routes to get a message out.
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Not for long...
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but good for them they could get a ship next.
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I'm glad to see it - and overall - just raw numbers, it's likely to get more people watching on You Tube than locally in Venezuela. Perhaps not as many local viewers, but it has a far larger market now.
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And on cable AND on satellite....
I think you're being manipulated. This was the TV station whose reporters plotted the coup again Chavez, the ELECTED POPULAR leader, so it should not get it's public broadcast license renewed.
More than that, the Irish documentary, 'The revolution will not be televised' pointed to US involvement in the coup.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144
1. The synchronization of false rhetoric between the state department and the plotters.
2. The claim of a US rendition flight to take Chavez.
I note repeated threats by US leadership against Chavez, which is directly related to Venezuela's oil. Chavez has been using the oil money on projects for poor, that has pissed off the rich who own the private TV stations, and who in turn have found friends in the US.
For example, his nationalization program
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0414/p06s01-woam.html
I think this is being pumped for political purposes.
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Re: Not for long...
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You Tube
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Chavez a socialist?
It is sad to see just how uninformed Techdirt readers are about Latin American Politics. As a Latin American myself, I can tell you that Chavez IS NOT, HAS NEVER BEEN AND WILL NEVER BE A SOCIALIST.
There are many great countries with socialist (or somewhat socialist) governments, all democratic, and some of them doing pretty well (Spain anyone?). But in Chavez's case, he can only be defined as a Nutjob, populist and demagogue, using populist tactics to win the populace to his side (giving them almost-free gas, for example). Chavez might have been a quasi democratically elected leader, but he is on his way to be the next Castro, only he sits on top of some HUGE oil reserves. He is in the process of taking over private companies (oil, exploration, mining, health, media) in the name of his "Bolivarian Revolution" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bol%C3%ADvar).
Please do not confuse Socialism, communism, populism and crazy people.
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Socialism
Translation: A way for lazy fucks to get something for nothing.
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Re: And on cable AND on satellite....
He became a ELECTED POPULAR leader on a platform of "Sure I'll give you money" to the poor. Inflation is rampant(1), and unemployment hovers at 13%(2). This country is headed for very bad times and instability.
Sadly, yes the oil is important to US, and Chavez is very good at goading our administration with his speeches of sulfur and brimstone whenever Bush gets in his way. However, it has been many years since he had power and I see no benefits going to the people that elected him.
I hestitate to draw comparisons to ~1935 Germany, but it sounds awfully familiar.
The closing of this TV station due to its "subversive activities" is no better than Carmona's demands that the TV stop giving ANY Chavez support air time. I think he is nuts, and one of the pitfalls of Democracy is that you're only as healthy as what you put into office. Send in the doctors for Venezuela and USA both.
(1) http://www.economy.com/dismal/?tab=1&edition=4 Venezuela Inflation Hovering Around 20%
Government anti-inflation policy failing.
Posted 3:45 PM Jun 1
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Venezuela_Economic_Indicators.png (2 years old, and it does show improvement, but still %13 is amazingly high)
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video: chavez insulting USA and bush
watch your self and please pass the word
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Re: And on cable AND on satellite....
Venezuela is a very rich country and Mr chavez expend literally thousands of millions of dollars in the last years selling the false idea of a leader for the poors buying countries with money and oil, even USA don't touch him because is one of the most important oil providers...
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Political Theory v. Political Reality
Think it through: It costs big bucks to broadcast, period. Broadcasts are, for the most part, carefully controlled by the owners of the means of production. At the very least, US broadcasters screen for potentially offensive content--at least on the level of risk/profit.
I predict that the present oligarchys will lead to fascism in the near term. After that, it's simply a matter of how much more that we the people will tolerate.
The world has long since changed. What we are seeing is the people who had things tilted to their advantage trying to catch up.
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Re: Socialism
"Translation: A way for lazy fucks to get something for nothing."
No, you got it confused with capitalism. Oh wait, with a centralized bank along with many socialized programs and corporate wealthfare I guess even the US is now really socialist..
Funny
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Re: Socialism
"Translation: A way for lazy fucks to get something for nothing."
You just hit the spot my friend. We, the Venezuelans, are very lazy people by nature, and this political scheme seems to be what most people want. The problem is that most of the people haven't realized that this won't provide any progress, in fact it foments stagnation.
For all of those who have never been to Venezuela, there is something important you should know. President Chavez's ideas are great, but there is a MAJOR PROBLEM: they aren't implemented correctly and are used as some sort of money laundry. I would like to invite all of you who defend Chavez to come here and spend some time in Mision Robinson or Mision Ribas to see how much you will learn (apart from hearing a lot of Chavez's speeches recorded on VHS and getting paid 200.000Bs). It is important to note that this is not a rule but a tendency.
If Chavez's would have given the people as much as he says he has our country would be a happy one.
P.S. RCTV (the 'banned' channel) is not available on cable or satellite. TVES took its spot in both services.
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Re: Re: Socialism
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Shenanigans
So you accept they voted him in, if inflation is a problem they can always vote him out again, if THEY choose.
"Sadly, yes the oil is important to US, and Chavez is very good at goading our administration with his speeches of sulfur and brimstone whenever Bush gets in his way."
I think this is about face saving, Bush cannot lose face. It's the same reason he can't pull out of Iraq, his Dad's advisers suggest a plan to get out, but if he accepted it, it would look like he needed the help of his dad to get him out of a mess. Ergo he did the exact opposite, and sent more troops in.
The failure to control Venezuela represents a loss of face to Bush. Venezuela continues to be a reliable supplier of oil, so it doesn't affect USA, but the loss of face to Bush is more important to him than whether Venezuela is a reliable provider of oil or not.
" However, it has been many years since he had power and I see no benefits going to the people that elected him."
Then they'll vote him out, it's THEIR COUNTRY, he's THEIR CHOICE.
This TV station was behind a military coup to grab power from the people of Venezuela. Yet they are still on satellite, cable and now YouTube. Yet the little detail that they've only had their broadcast frequency not renewed is somehow omitted from the discussion.
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Re: And on cable AND on satellite....
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Re: Not for long...
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Re: Re: Re: Socialism
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Face saving & Bush
If it was a sham, why did he have to 'buy' the votes? Ergo they can vote him out if they choose. Their choice.
"Did you know citizens can no longer leave the country without permission and no passports are being issued?"
Did you know that he sent the army to shoot unarmed protesters during a protest? Well so claimed this TV station, which faked the video showing it.
Oh and the US confirmed the claims, so it must be true.
Except it wasn't.
So forgive me, but the only thing I expect from US sources on Venezuela is disinformation intended to destablize Venezuela.
"So when Chavez came to the US and gave the BUSH/HITLER speech at the UN(to a standing ovation, no less) that was actually BUSH trying to save face?"
I don't see your point, perhaps I didn't explain my point clearly.
1. George Bush was named after George Bush.
2. His career has largely been with the help of his father.
3. He lives under his father's shadow.
4. He makes choices deliberately different from the choices his father would make to distinguish himself from his dad.
5. Even if the best choice was the one his father would have made.
6. He must not lose face, because face is all he has, no talent, no track record of success, no great skill, just face.
7. Mustn't let dad see him fail.
So I'd expect him to be funding black ops in Venezuela because he lost face. In turn I will deliberately take information regarding Venezuela from untrusted sources with a pinch of salt.
I'd expect something like the Iran black op:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/05/bush_authorizes.html
Yet Venezuela is a stable oil supplier, and it's in the interests of all parties to keep it that way. Best not create another Iraq just to save George Bush (Junior)'s face.
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The small dying voice of logic
1: I'm not usually one to defend Bush, but "saving face" is a pretty petty argument, and one which really has no merit. He does not have another term coming up, and he has never spoken of any political ambition beyond the presidency, so why would he give any concern to popular opinion at this point? To say it's to impress his dad is illogical and juvenile. Right or wrong, I'm pretty sure Bush is at this point just trying to do what he believes to be the best thing. Furthermore, no offense, but he isn't doing any of this alone. Everything done in Iraq has been approved by elected officials, whom the American majority believe to represent their interests. Funding has been approved time and again, and no whisper of impeachment has come from any political figure of worth, even those who say the most rediculous things to gain ultra-liberal support.
2:"Did you know that he sent the army to shoot unarmed protesters during a protest? Well so claimed this TV station, which faked the video showing it.
Oh and the US confirmed the claims, so it must be true."
Do you have some proof of this particular conspiracy, or are you one of those great ppl who believe the lunar landing was faked and there was no holocaust in Europe?
3: "a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community"
"Translation: A way for lazy fucks to get something for nothing."
'"No, you got it confused with capitalism. Oh wait, with a centralized bank along with many socialized programs and corporate wealthfare I guess even the US is now really socialist."'
True capitalism doesnt give anything to anyone who doesn't work for it, sherlock. The primary reason the U.S. economy has been steadily declining is the implementation of bleeding heart socialized programs, which is undermining the whole economic model. Good Job democrats, keep it up . . . we wouldn't want folks to have to work for their bread, or live with any kind of personal responsibility. Do what you want, don't worry about it, Big Brother will fix everything, let the working shmucks pay your way out! Just dont complain when you start getting silenced "for your own good".
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Not 'impress', 'not lose face'
Actually, I said he doesn't want to lose face, i.e. be compared badly against his father. I gave you examples of this behaviour too.
"Right or wrong, I'm pretty sure Bush is at this point just trying to do what he believes to be the best thing."
He does the opposite of his fathers choices, Baker should have known that a plan coming from his fathers advisers would result in the exact opposite choice. A suggestion on how to decrease troops and get the Iraqi's to take more responsibility resulted in a surge of US troops and Iraqi's taking less responsibility.
It's not like he took all plans read them and chose the best, he said he'd only browsed the Baker plan, immediately dismissed it and only then called for alternative (& opposite) plans.
If a surge was the best choice, why did he only call for a surge AFTER his fathers advisers had called for troop reductions. The impetus for the surge was a counter reaction to the advice he got from his fathers advisers.
Again, notice that he always does the opposite of his dad.
"Funding has been approved time and again, and no whisper of impeachment "
I don't think the fact he hasn't been impeached yet, represents success. Or is even a justification to spread blame.
"Do you have some proof of this particular conspiracy, or are you one of those great ppl who believe the lunar landing was faked and there was no holocaust in Europe?"
Well yes, they even confessed on Venezuelan TV when they thought they'd won. (rather stupidly they boasted about how the coup was organized).
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144
3. Stuff not related to my comments.
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Re: The small dying voice of logic
This type of capitalism has never existed in America. The US government has given property and tax breaks to business ever since our revolution. The handouts started with business and then eventually made their way to the general populace.
"The primary reason the U.S. economy has been steadily declining is the implementation of bleeding heart socialized programs"
Bleeding heart socialist programs wouldn't be necessary if it wasn't for practices like fractional banking which undermine our economy causing booms and bust. Also the accepted idea of unemployment directly drives poverty even though there is no real reason for it other than to keep wages down and people oppressed.
"which is undermining the whole economic model. Good Job democrats, keep it up . . ."
As long as your thinking in terms of democrats and republicans you have already lost. This is exactly what they want you to think to keep you confused and stupid.
"we wouldn't want folks to have to work for their bread, or live with any kind of personal responsibility."
I think the vast majority of Americans work and want to work good paying jobs. In Washington State (Where I live) only 3% of all public fund goes to Welfare (You can thank Bill Clinton for that). That isn't really that much compared to almost 16% for health care.
"Do what you want, don't worry about it, Big Brother will fix everything, let the working shmucks pay your way out! Just dont complain when you start getting silenced "for your own good"
Last time I checked everyone seems to be approving of wire-tapping and the loss of every right we once held dear. Don't blame "people" for this blame yourself for letting it happen. It is time for you to start speaking out before we join the long list of evil fascist nations bent on world domination.
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Re: Not for long...
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Minority report
You are the venezuelan people? All of them!? Look, if you are part of the minority feel free to bitch and whine about not getting your choice of leader. But don't think that getting the US to kick Chavez out and installing a puppet military regime would be better.
Remember Argentina's bloody military junta, or Pinochet? Whenever the right wing loons in Washington get their way, it's always been a bloody bitter disaster for the country involved.
Rejoice in the inflation! You had 8.8% growth in the first quarter alone thanks to the oil money flooding in. Sure there's too much money in the economy now and inflation is high, but once Venezuelans stop importing luxury goods and upgrading their life and start investing for their future, Venezuela will settle down and it stands to be a very rich country.
Better to make sure the wealth goes to the people rather than fund big oil corp wars.
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*sigh*
Okay, carry on. ;)
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Re: *sigh*
Naw, we left them over at your house to juice up in your pyramid of power.
;)
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