Venezuela: Presidential speeches aired in 1999-2010 amount to 1,300 hours

[ChangoLoa]

CPJ report

This only counts the mandatory broadcasts' time. We should add Alo Presidente to get an image of Chavez's presence in the TV, which is 7-8 hours weekly.

All in all, Chavez has been on TV 9-10 hours weekly in average.

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From 1999 until January 2010, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez delivered nearly 2,000 speeches, accounting for more than 1,300 broadcast hours, or the equivalent to 54 full days, in mandatory broadcasts on all free-to-air TV and radio channels (cadenas).

The number of mandatory broadcasts of speeches made by the Venezuelan president is included in the report "Attacks on the Press in 2010" released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent US-based, non-profit organization founded in 1981 to promote press freedom worldwide, according to a research conducted by AGB Nielsen.

According to CPJ's report, "Chávez has regularly used "cadenas" to attack the private media and amplify the government's voice."

The NGO based in New York said that the Venezuelan president "using all the tools of power, continued his aggressive campaign to silence critical news media."


Read more:
http://english.eluniversal.com/2011/02/15/en_pol_esp_presidential-speeche_15A5166213.shtml

[social_critic]

1. Chavez regime is using cadena broadcasts to muzzle Globovision

Over the last few weeks, we've seen the government start cadenas at the same time Globovision's Alo Ciudadano show starts. Globovision is the only remaining opposition leaning TV station, they have been pressured hard by the government, but the Alo Ciudadano show in the evening has been quite outspoken against Chavez. Rather than muzzle it by arresting the people putting on the show, they get it off the air by issuing an "emergency broadcast" order, which forces Globovision to carry a government broadcast. This is what we call the "Cadena" or "chain" system.

[joshcryer]

3. I assume Globovision only exists because they don't split the screen during the chains, no?

[joshcryer]

2. Chavez famously used his "chains" to silence the anti-Chavez protestors during the coup.

1000 hours is 41 continuous days of broadcast, just for perspective.