Researcher defends media content law ... local productions are the answer

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Researcher Daniel Hernandez defends the media content law saying he has taken part in forums discussing the law and is suspicious about the Catholic Church's silence on the issue. 

Criticizing Venezuelan media bosses, Hernandez accuses them of distorting the discussion and failing to offer any alternative ...  "the fact that any attempt to regulate radio and TV in Venezuela has failed raises immediate suspicion."

The Inter American Convention stipulates that information has no borders but Article 13 has something about censuring PR in favor of war, hate and violence. Hernandez agrees that State channels must improve ... "we must have a high quality, plural and diversified TV." 

The media, the researcher claims, is playing at insurrection and it is obvious that the government will defend itself. Defending independent productions as one way of fighting monopolies, Hernandez maintains that private media oppose the proposal because they prefer to show cheap re-runs ... "local productions would affect their income." 

VTV State channel has started producing its very own soap in an effort to challenge private channel showings and to cater for government supporters who turn over from private channels to watch VTV news service. President Chavez Frias says he's seen part of the new VTV  soap and commends it as something different from the usual run of the mill.