RCTV's Marcel Granier: Cisneros' Venevision to gain market in Venezuela, thanks to Chavez

By Alek Boyd

London 24/01/2010 | The interviewer posed the question that has been in all minds: "So according to you, it will be Venevision Plus the one that stands to gain from the closing of RCTV International. Could you expand on such argument?"

RCTV's Marcel Granier: "a writer of novels created a character whose premise when investigating crimes was: follow the money. I then ponder, "where has all the money that RCTV used to make gone? The most part went to Venevision. Where will all the money that RCTV International is currently making go? Well, surprise, I've found out that Venevision Plus has not been classified as a national broadcaster, like RCTV International has, so they (Chavez regime) have cleared the field for them. I can't prove it but I see a pattern. The money that RCTV International won't make ends up in the same place. And when I reach this conclusion, it comes to mind that sordid meeting held in Fuerte Tiuna (between Carter, Cisneros and Chavez), where a lot of people think referendum results were fixed.""

The interview, conducted by Roberto Giusti, hinges on the latest assault to freedom of enterprise by the Hugo Chavez regime. Yesterday, Venezuela's broadcasting watchdog (CONATEL) ordered private cable companies to stop carrying RCTV International's signal. CONATEL has classified RCTV International as a national broadcaster, which in practical terms means that at every whim private cable companies must broadcast Chavez's endless rants, at their own cost. The measure, predictably enough, will not affect Venevision, which surrendered its editorial independence in 2004, when Gustavo Cisneros made a pact with Hugo Chavez.

Can anyone imagine telecom watchdogs in democratic countries forcing private TV networks to broadcast for free, and without any form of time constraints, political speeches in subscription-only channels? What would happen here in Britain if Gordon Brown were to whimsically force his presence on the 9 million subscribers of Sky TV? Such is the level of lawlessness in Venezuela, where the dictator not only illegally terminates broadcasting licenses, as it did with RCTV in 2007, but also forces his disgusting self on pay per view.