Saturday, July 28, 2007


Jul. 27, 2007 (El Universal delivered by Newstex) --


Ecuador criticizes RCTV CEO remarks against President Correa
Ecuador dismissed as 'impertinent and insulting' TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) CEO Marcel Granier criticisms against the president of the South American country Rafael Correa, whom he branded as 'ignorant' for backing the Venezuelan government decision not to renew RCTV broadcast license.

The Ecuadorian government voiced its rejection to the impertinent and insulting nature of Granier's statements from Caracas to station Radio Quito, where he ' threw unwarranted vulgarities at president' Correa, said Ecuadorian Ambassador to Caracas, Francisco Suéscum, in a letter addressed to Granier.

Suéscum lambasted Granier's remarks labeling them of 'clumsy,' and advised RCTV CEO to 'present enough proofs to back his statements.'

Thursday 26

IAPA rewards RCTV for advocating free press
The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) bestowed the Grand Prize for Press Freedom to Marcel Granier, the CEO of private television station RCTV, and his staff of reporters and collaborators.

IAPA conferred the prize upon the oldest television channel in Venezuela for its 'tenacious strive for freedom of expression in the Western Hemisphere, as it has advocated courageously and steadfastly its right to keep the license to broadcast on open signal, which was snatched by the government of Venezuela' last May 27.

IAPA praised the 'huge efforts' RCTV has made to broadcast on cable and satellite television, in a move to defend both the right to work of 3,000 people in the TV network and free enterprise.

RCTV Internacional could go off the air
Private TV channel RCTV Internacional could go out from the program of subscription TV providers next Wednesday, August 1st, in the event of failing to submit a register of national audiovisual production.

The action was ordered Wednesday by the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel), through the Radio and TV Social Responsibility Administration.

Mario Seijas, the chair of the Venezuelan Subscription Television Chamber told news TV channel Globovisión that last week the Social Responsibility Administration found that RCTV Internacional falls into the category of national audiovisual producer. In this regard, it should enroll in the national registry of such companies.

Otherwise, based on the Conatel ruling, subscription TV operators should remove the signal of RCTV Internacional from their programming.

Conatel set a five-day term as deadline for submission of the appropriate documents by the board of RCTV Internacional.

RCTV broadcasting allowed in cable TV but needs to observe the law
Private TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) may air on cable TV, provided that it 'observes current regulations,' said Thursday Telecommunications Minister Jesse Chacón.

He said that the 2004 Radio and TV Social Responsibility Law provided for clear specifications about audiovisual production services.

The minister explained that any broadcaster should register in the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) as national audiovisual producer in order to be included in the programming of subscription TV service providers.

Friday 27

RCTV Internacional tops paid TV ranking
Private television station RCTV Internacional is ranked first among paid television channels such as Disney Channel, Sony (NYSE:SNE) Entertainment Television or MTV.

According to figures provided by research firm AGB, RCTV International obtained 0.75 points of rating last July 16, the first day it went on the air as a subscription channel, following the Venezuelan government decision not to renew its license to broadcast on open signal.

The survey included viewers of paid and open signal television. Over the three days following July 16, RCTV audience declined, yet it stayed above the remaining stations.

RCTV Internacional most watched programs are news, talk and opinion shows La Entrevista, La Bicha and El Observador.

Registration in Conatel does not apply, says 1BC
Private TV channel RCTV Internacional requested the Social Responsibility Management and the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) to give it 'the same treatment as to the other foreign channels,' taking into consideration that they produce audiovisual messages for global dissemination, such as Telesur, HBO, Sony and E! Entertainment, among others.

'For RCTV Internacional, registration as a national provider of audiovisual services requested by Conatel under threat of being removed from the cable TV programming does not apply. This is the case of the other international channels,' said the company in a press release.

They argued that 'international channels, producers of audiovisual messages' are excluded from the guide to issue notices for national audiovisual services.

RSF regrets failure to ask for certificate beforehand
International NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF) claimed Friday that the Venezuelan government waited for more than one week, since RCTV Internacional started operations on cable TV, in order to request a national production certificate.

'In the event that RCTV should declare itself as national audiovisual producer, why did the Venezuelan authorities wait for 10 days to notify it, with only five days as deadline? Why this question was not raised before?' said a press release.

'Why did it happen at a time when RCTV came back to the screen, by means of cable and satellite? This measure has never applied for other international cable TV channels. The administrative maneuver is rather coarse, for nobody to think that it was a renewed attempt at censorship,' RWB wondered.

Government intends to shut RCTV Internacional up, says Granier
RCTV Internacional CEO Marcel Granier said Friday that he plans to counter a new 'arbitrary, discriminatory' action by the Venezuelan government aimed at taking the channel out of cable TV services.

The government set a five-day deadline for the channel to register as a national audiovisual producer; otherwise, cable TV service providers should remove it from their programming.

Granier stated in a press release quoted by DPA that the directive runs counter to the current broadcasting conditions of RCTV Internacional, viewed as an 'open-signal TV channel.' He noted that accepting the government conditions would affect adversely compliance with its international commitments.

Communication minister expects RCTV to observe provision
The Venezuelan government expects private TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) to comply with a directive issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel), said Friday Minister of Communication and Information William Lara.

The directive prompts the channel to take the steps in order to get a national production certificate.

'All of us have heard the rationale made by the National Telecommunications Commission. I understand that it is based on the law. Therefore, all of us, law-abiding citizens, expect this company to comply with the law and meet the legal requirements, as stated by Conatel,' said Lara.



Newstex ID: ELU-0001-18486021


Delivered by Newstex LLC
via theFinancials.com