New Latin-Focused TV Station Telesur Begins Transmitting

[cal04]

New Latin-Focused TV Station Telesur Begins Transmitting With Venezuela's Support

A new TV station backed by Venezuela's government began transmitting Sunday in various countries across Latin America, carrying praise by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, American actor Danny Glover and others. The Telesur network, which organizers call a Latin alternative to large media outlets like CNN, was being seen in Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Brazil and Cuba as well as Venezuela, Chavez said.

"This is part of an awakening of our peoples," Chavez said by phone to a televised inaugural ceremony in Caracas. Chavez, a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, called the channel a key step toward regional integration, with the sole purpose of "telling the truth." The station, funded by Venezuela and also backed by Argentina, Uruguay and Cuba, has drawn concern in the U.S. Congress, where House members last week approved a measure to transmit radio and television broadcasts to Venezuela to ensure citizens receive "accurate news."

Chavez has called the U.S. plan ridiculous and has said Venezuela is prepared to jam the broadcasts. He also said Venezuela would prevent any signals from interfering with Telesur's programs. The president likened the satellite channel to the cooperative oil projects Petrosur and Petrocaribe, aimed at sharing Venezuela's fuel with neighboring countries under preferential terms. He said U.S. leaders, through seeking conflict with his government, want "to assure themselves" Venezuelan oil.

"We want to keep supporting the American people to the point that we can, supplying them energy, but not only to large U.S. companies, or the established power in Washington," said Chavez, whose country remains a major supplier to the United States. Some critics call Telesur a way to spread anti-American propaganda in South America - an accusation strongly denied by Venezuelan Information Minister Andres Izarra, the station's president. "It's an initiative against imperialism," Izarra said during the televised ceremony. "That shouldn't be interpreted, however, as an initiative against the American people." The station, headquartered in Caracas, is to offer news programs, opinion shows, documentaries and Latin American films. It is to be on the air four hours a day at first, and eventually 24 hours a day. Test transmissions began two months ago.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBZI1GUJBE.html

[msongs]

1. we already have spanish language TV channels for latins here in

california. this is nothing new.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[cal04]

2. Laura Flanders is now talking to someone in Caracas

about the new station. This is huge to them she said
23 countries will hear it. Early Sept hopefully the US should have it. She is very excited about this and it sounds great

[pinerow]

4. Most of the Spanish Language media is owned by the same

ones that own English language...nbc=univision...telemundo=viacom

[peacetalksforall]

3. There is no reason to spread propaganda about the U.S. The truth

in and of itself devastating.

What the right wing calls propaganda against the U.S. in probably only truthfulness that they don't want to hear. They have U.S. citizens pretty well protected against truth through their partnership with CNN, FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS.

We have nothing else besides propaganda - PRESENTLY - although there could be some truth in their coverage of a car chase in Southern California.

[Laughing Mirror]

5. gracias Hugo

I look forward to tuning in. I hope it is broadcast live online soon, like the BBC.

[LeighAnn]

6. Wonder if I can get this on DirecTV?

I hope they add a subtitling service for us gringos, we need an alternative to the garbage the networks here pass of as "news"