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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| US to take war of words with Chávez on to the airwaves |
| 2005-07-24 |
| subscription required, EFL below Washington's war of words with Hugo Chávez, Venezuela's president, could soon enter a new dimension with the prospect of a propaganda duel on the airwaves. On Wednesday the US House of Representatives passed an amendment that allows the US to broadcast television and radio programmes into Venezuela. The amendment, introduced by Connie Mack, a Florida Republican, is aimed at offsetting the perceived âanti-Americanâ influence of Telesur, a nascent satellite television channel majority funded by the Chávez government and set for a full on-air launch in September. Telesur, whose creation was also funded by Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay, bills itself as a Latin American alternative to the âUS-centricâ programming of such commercial channels as CNN. Some US officials are concerned that Telesur will become a pan-American mouthpiece for Mr Chávez to propagate his autocratic style into neighbouring countries, to the detriment of US interests. Bogotá has complained about one of Telesur's advertising trailers, which features imagery of the top commander of Colombia's outlawed guerrilla army. The idea of a US-funded channel directed at Venezuela appears to be modelled on Radio and TV Marti, the Miami-based channel that encourages dissent in Cuba. But analysts said that a similar system aimed at Venezuela missed a key point. Telesur is largely aimed at viewers outside Venezuela. There are fears the Venezuelan government wants to introduce censorship within the country. Mr Chávez said he would counter a US channel using the same method Cuba has used against Radio and TV Marti: jamming the signal. |
| Posted by:rkb |
| #8 "the atrocities are going to be limited to Blue States" Naturally, that's where all the terrorist symphathizers and potential dhimmis are. Why play to an unreceptive audience? |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2005-07-24 22:12 |
| #7 They've decided on using a new tactic, they're going to drown out all tv broadcast channels in Venezuela with pictures of Ted Kennedy naked. If they haven't begged for mercy in a year, then we'll add Nancy Pelosi. |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2005-07-24 22:02 |
| #6 Get ready NYC & DC it's only a matter of time for the Bush morons who are "keeping us safe from Terruh" are going to have to deal with it here! Of course--the atrocities are going to be limited to Blue States so they really aren't that worried--now if it was in Texas--another story |
| Posted by: AgentProvacateur 2005-07-24 21:10 |
| #5 Ignoring Chavez isn't the answer and battling him on the airwaves isn't the answer either. We will just make him into a folk hero in the long run. Let him implode his economy, keep a close eye on foreign agents at work, let the economy implode and jockey in like we always do. But, lets not make him into afolk hero... he is a nobody driving his country into nowhere. |
| Posted by: Thraling Ulaitle8166 2005-07-24 17:41 |
| #4 Waste of money. Cell phones are way better at moving information. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-07-24 17:29 |
| #3 Chavez doesn't yet have the crack internal security police that Castro has |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-07-24 16:47 |
| #2 Well, it's not as if Radio Marti has actually done anything to shake Castro's hold on power. |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2005-07-24 16:21 |
| #1 afraid, El Jefe? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-07-24 15:45 |