Mass media in Venezuela
Mass media in Venezuela comprise the mass and niche news and information communications infrastructure of Venezuela. Thus, the media of Venezuela consist of several different types of communications media: television, radio, newspapers, magazines, cinema, and Internet-based news outlets and websites. Venezuela also has a strong music industry and arts scene.
Since 2003, Freedom House has ranked Venezuela as "not free" when it comes to press freedom.[1] Freedom House explained that Venezuela's freedom of the press had declined during Hugo Chávez's 15 years in power, stating that the Venezuelan government's relation to the media caused a sharp decline in press freedom and expanded government information apparatus.[2]
Due to censorship in Venezuela, social networking and other methods are important ways of communication for the Venezuelan people,[3][4] with social media being established as an alternative means of information to mainstream media. Venezuela now has the 4th highest percentage of Twitter users.[5]
Overview[edit]
The main four private television networks are RCTV (1951-2007), Televen, Venevisión, and 24-hour news channel Globovisión. State television includes Venezolana de Televisión, TVes, ViVe, and teleSUR. There are also local community-run television stations such as Televisora Comunitaria del Oeste de Caracas (CatiaTVe). The Venezuelan government also runs Avila TV, Buena TV, Asamblea Nacional TV (ANTV), Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias and funds the majority of Latin American network TeleSUR.
The major Venezuelan newspapers are El Nacional, Últimas Noticias, and El Universal; all of which are private companies and based in Caracas. There are also many regional newspapers.
History[edit]
Democratic period[edit]
Venezuela was the ninth country in the world to have television, introduced in 1952 by Marcos Pérez Jiménez. By 1963 a quarter of Venezuelan households had television; a figure rising to 45% by 1969 and 85% by 1982.[6]
By 1970s, Venezuela surpassed Argentina as the most urbanized of South America nations. The benefits that urbanization has brought in terms of ease of communication were offset by social problems.[7]
Bolivarian Revolution[edit]
The Venezuelan media initially supported Hugo Chávez after his election in 1998, supporting the changes he proposed for Venezuela.[8][9] However, when the media began to report "negative realities" occurring in Venezuela, the Chávez government began to view the independent media as an enemy.[9] After Chávez established his position of power in Venezuela by removing political barriers, the independent media began to criticize Chávez in a similar manner to the way other Latin American countries would have their media criticize their own governments.[10] The independent Venezuelan press then became opposed to Chávez, fearing that he would ruin the economy and Venezuela's democracy.[11]
The Chávez government responded by making laws that would threaten the revocation or fining of media organizations,[12][13] while Chávez and his officials would also combat the media by calling out reporters by name, which angered members of the media, sparking dubious reports and articles.[11] Fears arose among the media when Chávez would call out journalists by name,[13] with such polarization becoming so intense that eventually journalists "were regularly attacked in the street by Chavez supporters".[11] In June 2001, the Chávez-filled Supreme Court ruled that the media could face consequences for "half-truths" and shortly after in January 2002, the headquarters of El Universal was assaulted by hundreds of Chavistas, Globovision reporters were attacked while attempting to record Aló Presidente and there was a bomb attack on newspaper Así Es la Noticia.[13] Months later following the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt in April 2002, Chávez used a "two-pronged strategy" in which his government strengthened its own media and "closed, browbeaten or infiltrated almost every independent outlet."[14] In 2004, the Law on Social Responsibility in Radio and Television was passed, and in 2010 it was extended to the Internet and social media in 2010, requires media companies to "establish mechanisms to restrict, without delay, the dissemination of messages."[15][16]
By the time of Chávez's death in 2013, he left a transformed media atmosphere in Venezuela with the media organizations that opposed him being silenced and an expanding state media as a result.[16] Media workers face legal barriers, defamation lawsuits from Venezuelan officials or are targets of violence.[16] Both Chávez and his successor, Nicolás Maduro, would pressure media organizations until they failed by preventing them from acquiring necessary resources.[17] The Venezuelan government would manipulate foreign exchange rates for media organizations so that they could no longer import their resources or fine them heavily.[17] The government would then use a front company to give the troubled organization a "generous" offer to purchase the company.[17] Following the buyout, the front company would promise that the staff would not change but would slowly release them and change their coverage to be in favor of the Venezuelan government.[17]
Internet[edit]
Journalism[edit]
In an article by El Tiempo (Anzoátegui), journalists explain reasons of why they have moved from traditional media outlets such as newspapers and organizations to websites. Journalists explained how after allegations of censorship after the sale of Cadena Capriles organization and El Universal, journalists have found refuge on the Internet. Some journalists have even created their own websites, though with some difficulties.[19] This includes a Venezuelan imitation of Naked News called Desnudando La Noticia (Stripping The News).[20]
Social media[edit]
The use of social media has grown to be important in Venezuela because of government censorship preventing press freedom in other forms of media.[3][4] Some Venezuelans rely on social networking to purchase goods, such as medications that are vital for survival.[4] Social media has also allowed Venezuelans to protest, though the Bolivarian government has targeted critics.[4] A September 2018 poll by Meganalisis found that 57.7% of respondents relied on social media as their news source.[21]
Alternate media[edit]
According to media protection organizations, Venezuelans "have been forced to find alternatives as newspapers and broadcasters struggle with state efforts to control coverage", with a growing trend of Venezuelans using online news media to bypass government censors.[3][33] websites such as Informe21,[34] El Diario de Caracas, La Patilla Agencia Carabobeña de Noticias and Efecto Cocuyo have emerged to counter the censorship.[3][33]
Journalists and press-freedom advocates state that news websites like La Patilla "have helped fill a gap" since individuals linked to the Venezuelan government had purchased media organizations in Venezuela, such as El Universal, Globovisión and Ultimas Noticias.[3] In an article by The Wall Street Journal discussing the rising popularity of news websites in Venezuela, La Patilla CEO Alberto Federico Ravell stated that "The editorial line of La Patilla is to call it like it is ... We don't need paper. We don't need a broadcasting license. There's little they can do to squeeze us."[3]
The search for an alternate way of expressing their views is not lost on the new generation. According to an article published by Reuters, a group of young Venezuelan activists took it upon themselves to ride bus lines that pass through the poorest neighborhoods of Caracas and do their own kind of "news broadcasting". Claudia Lizardo, a 29-year-old creative director, formed a small team composed by four friends and began broadcasting under the name of "Bus TV" with nothing more than a cardboard frame and their voices. The group claims that the goal to be producing fact-based news media rather to seek confrontation with anybody. Laura Castillo, one member of the team, stated that "We want this to survive, that’s why we have a respectful approach that doesn’t look for confrontation with anybody."[35]