Hugo Chavez Takes On the Media Corporatocracy

Credit where credit is due, Chavez is bang on target here.

The power of the modern mass media to manipulate democracy and democratic elections is the ultimate 'soft tyranny'.

From the BBC, Fox News, The Guardian, The Telegraph etc etc - each of them are as bent as a nine bob note. They pump out propaganda for the interests of their masters, not for the benefit of the people and especially not the truth.

They can control a society without the people of that society even being aware they are enslaved.

Therefore the media must be forced to no longer interfere, manipulate or control the political process by using their propaganda to influence any society into voting for whom the media want elected.

The present system where the media propagandise the political parties that their corporate owners support is the antithesis of democracy - the power to manipulate individual minds and create false perceptions of a 'social consesus' as regards politics by the media must be dealt with, and Chavez's example is a good model to follow.


As stated elsewhere " For Ortega Diaz, journalists should be criminally liable not just for what they write, but also for the perceptions that the things they write create in their readers. Anyone who uses the mass media to communicate something that disturbs “social peace,” “mental health” or “public morals” can end up in jail. Her bill calls for the incarceration of anyone who, through their use of mass media, “destabilizes the State’s institutions.” Anyone who broadcasts anything that may cause “hatred and hostility” toward people based on, among other things, their “ideology or political affiliation” will end up in the slammer. "

Seeing as we live in a corrupt country where the entire media demonise the BNP in order to benefit their own puppet political parties, a law requiring the media not propagandise for a political party or against a political party is long overdue.

The sickening boast on the front page of the Sun a few years ago ' It woz the sun wot won it ' was the death knell for our democracy.

Now action must be taken to restore democratic politics to our nation.






Venezuela: 'Freedom of expression must be limited'
By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER (AP) – 1 day ago

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela's top prosecutor insisted Thursday that freedom of expression in Venezuela "must be limited" and proposed legislation that would slap additional restrictions on the country's news media.

The new law would punish the owners of radio stations, television channels and newspapers that have attempted to "cause panic" and "disturb social peace," Attorney General Luisa Ortega said.

It also would punish media owners who "manipulate the news with the purpose of transmitting a false perception of the facts."

"Freedom of expression must be limited," Ortega said.

Ortega urged lawmakers to consider her suggestions as they debate a bill that would punish as-yet-undefined "media crimes." The National Assembly, which is controlled by allies of President Hugo Chavez, is expected to approve the measure in coming months.

Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director for Human Rights Watch, warned the proposed legislation "would be a terrible regression for freedom of expression."

"They are trying to increase the penalties for expressions that could be considered offensive for authorities," Vivanco said in an interview broadcast by RCN Radio in Colombia.

Carlos Lauria of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists called the bill "reminiscent of the dark days of Latin American dictatorships with its archaic provisions for so-called media crimes."

Chavez's administration is slowly tightening its grip over the news media, raising concerns among watchdog and human rights groups that accuse the government of trying to stifle dissent.

Venezuela's telecommunications commission notified 50 radio stations earlier this week that their broadcast licenses could be revoked because they failed to update their registrations. Commission chief Diosdado Cabello said a final determination on the licenses will be made following investigations. He said authorities might also seize broadcasting equipment.

Nearly 200 other broadcasters that did not meet a June deadline to register also will be investigated, but have not yet been formally notified, Cabello said

Broadcast regulators have also opened a series of investigations into Globovision, the only strongly anti-Chavez channel remaining on the open airwaves.

Station vice president Carlos Alberto Zuloaga accused Chavez on Thursday of "deciding to shut down Globovision."

"He's just looking for the way to diminish the political cost," Zuloaga said at a forum in Washington organized by the libertarian Cato Institute.

Chavez denies that he intends to silence critics, saying his government fully respects freedom of expression.

Associated Press writer Jorge Rueda contributed to this report.