Nonrenewal of TV License Stokes Debate in Venezuela

NONRENEWAL OF TV LICENSE STOKES DEBATE IN VENEZUELA
[SOURCE: New York Times 1/1, AUTHOR: Simon Romero]
President Hugo Chávez’s decision not to renew the broadcast license of RCTV, one of this country’s oldest television stations and a frequent critic of his government, has fueled a fierce debate over whether he is stifling dissent in Venezuela as he strengthens his control of the broadcasting industry. Senior officials in Mr. Chávez’s government moved quickly to react to growing international and domestic criticism of the decision. Reporters Without Borders, the Paris-based press freedom group, said the move, which Mr. Chávez announced in a speech before military officers last week, was a “serious attack on editorial pluralism.” The group asked Mr. Chávez’s government “to reconsider its stance and guarantee an independent system of concessions and renewals of licenses.” Vice President José Vicente Rangel said the decision was not political retaliation but a “right of the state for reasons that are justified.” Others officials, however, made it clear that the decision was a reaction to RCTV’s editorial policies, particularly in relation to a coup in April 2002 that briefly removed Mr. Chávez as president.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/01/world/americas/01venez.html
(requires registration)