ELIDES J. ROJAS L. EL UNIVERSAL

At the last minute, Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), a TV channel belonging to the State, the government and the ruling party, announced its participation in the broadcasting of this week-end Telethon, together with the rest of the Venezuelan TV channels.

To participate in such a event was almost an duty. It allowed private businesses, civilian society and mass media to invade a sensitive area for Chávez: poverty, in this case, homeless children.

La Colmena project -a residence complex to be built with the funds raised in order to provide accommodation for 600 poor children- seemed to be a good opportunity for government partisans to get in by force. According to what we could see, they were welcomed. On Saturday, Guárico State governor appeared with a considerable contribution and even a plot of land located in his state. A Vargas State representative did the same. Everything seemed to go smoothly. State and civilian society together, finally together, for a good cause where, besides, the revolution has shown a awful failure.

However, the presence on the stage of the heads of the TV channels was enough for the audience gathered in the major Venezuelan university campus to begin to clap and chant the well-known “Not a single step back.” This meant the end of the VTV broadcasting. It jumped to a joropo tuyero (typical Venezuelan music in the countryside) and a group of people shouting “Chávez won’t leave.”

This rapid pass through this national togetherness allowed a sight into something outrageous. The commercials of fascist, the coup-plotter companies were broadcasted by VTV as they were a Cuban aid package. Some believed we had turned back to the pre-Chavez era.

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Center of Media Studies (Centro de Estudios sobre la Información) Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile Editorial, May 12, 2003

Leftist Bias in the Media: Serious Worldwide Problem

The persistent influence of leftist and liberal editors, journalists and reporters of most important media centers in the West, which translates into a bias that misinforms, constitutes a serious problem inherited by the XXI Century, and creates an obstacle to international understanding and coexisting.

Through sophisticated writing techniques, with the help of social psychology and propaganda, relevant issues are distorted or silenced, myths are created and almost instantly the public opinion is emotionally stirred, which in most respects is more dangerous than even chemical or biological weapons because intelligence, will and the sensitivity of the people are being manipulated.

In the United States, the liberals in the media act as a true "Trojan horse". In 1985 Los Angeles Times conducted an opinion survey which included 2,700 journalists from 621 newspapers. Those which responded with liberal ideas surpassed conservatives by more than 3 to 1 (55% versus 17%). Surveys done by the American Association of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) in 1988 and 1997 confirmed in general terms those results.

Several recent books have revealed the phenomenon of liberal bias used to misinform. For example, "Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News", by Bernard Goldberg; and "Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right , by Ann Coulter. Few people are aware that the communist dictator in Cuba, Fidel Castro, came to power and remains in power for more than 40 years with the decisive support, direct or indirect, of major North American mass media agencies, as evidenced in the studies "The New York Times and Cuban Revolution", by William E. Ratliff and "Castro and the United States Press", written by John P. Wallach.

In Latin America, especially in Brazil, the leftist influence in the media is one of the factors behind the recent waive of anti-North Americanism, which has among its objectives to impede the establishment of a natural alliance among the healthier sectors of North and South America. Regrettably, there does not appear to be a proportionate interest and determination from the conservative North American journalists to exhibit their points of view in the Latin American press, through articles, conferences and participation in debates. This constitutes a problem which should be addressed being that History demonstrates that battles of ideas are much more decisive than military battles.

In Europe, liberalism in the media is also intensely manifested, with different characteristics of each country, but with the same objective of opening gaps between the more healthier sectors of public opinion in the Old and New continent, which have a common longing for the defense of the principals of Christian civilization.

Leftist editors and journalists insist, in the same manner, to consigning the crimes of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe to oblivion. For example, the reception of the second volume of "The Black Book of Communism", written by a knowledgeable team of French historians and recently released by the Editorial Robert Laffont, has been of almost complete silence by the European press, according to one of its authors, Stéphane Courtois, Director of surveys for the CNRS of France. This is not a new phenomenon. Pope Pío XI referred to a "true conspiracy of silence" regarding the crimes of communism in large part due to the press worldwide, together with a "truly diabolical propaganda" in favor of ideas and lifestyles of anti-Christians.

Information bias is always reprehensible and it has not only been used by liberals and leftists. However, it is they that have mostly taken advantage of it. To protect oneself against the phenomenon of disinformation and chaotic news, the most affective antidote is the exercise of sound reflection based on logic, common sense, objectivity and the moral convictions which have as their foundation the Commandments of the Law of God.

The Center of Media Studies (Centro de Estudios sobre la Información) has as its fundamental objective to contribute to the development of a critical spirit in the Americas as it relates to information bias in the media.

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By Connie Cass Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The names of 31 journalists who died covering the news around the world last year were added to a rainbow-hued glass memorial Friday.

The father of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, the Birmingham High School graduate who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan, said the lost reporters represent "the ultimate strength of open society as well as its ultimate vulnerability."

Judea Pearl of Encino said his son was killed "not for what he wrote or planned to write but for what he represented."

"To his killers," Pearl said, "he represented the ideas that every person in every civilized society aspires to uphold: modernity, openness, pluralism, freedom of inquiry, truth and respect for all people."

Joe Urschel, executive director of the Newseum, said 17 of the 31 journalists were targeted because of their profession.

"In many cases, they knew that their efforts to get close to the story placed them in danger," Urschel said during an annual ceremony to rededicate the memorial, which has a sweeping view of Washington across the Potomac River.

Last year's deaths brings to 1,475 the toll of reporters, photographers, broadcasters and other journalists who died as a result of injury or illness while covering the news, from 1812 to 2002.

Alongside Pearl, Americans on this year's list included Larry Greene, 50, a photographer with KCBS-TV (Channel 2) in Los Angeles, who was killed in a Navy helicopter crash in the North Arabian Gulf.

As the sun painted a rainbow of colors across the spiraling glass memorial Friday morning, journalists and family members read each name aloud.

Already, names are mounting for next year's service.

At least a dozen journalists died while covering the war in Iraq, and two more are missing, said Susan Bennett, director of international exhibits for the Freedom Forum's Newseum. The foundation, dedicated to free speech and free press, maintains the journalist memorial, adding the previous year's names each May.

Names of the war dead, including NBC News reporter David Bloom, Atlantic Monthly editor-at-large Michael Kelly and Associated Press Television News cameraman Nazeh Darwazeh, will be embedded between glass panes in 2004.

Journalists killed in 2002 included a newspaper editor and a broadcaster who were shot in separate incidents in Colombia; both had received death threats. In Russia, attacks on two editors and a reporter were linked to their investigative reporting. Journalists in Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal and the Philippines also appear to have been killed because of their work, the foundation said.

Two journalists died in gunfire while covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One was struck by a U.S. tank during military exercises in Kuwait. Others died in Papua New Guinea, Uganda and Venezuela.

Photographer David Gerdrum, 48, and reporter Jennifer Hawkins Hinderliter, 22, were killed in a traffic accident on assignment for KRTV in Great Falls, Mont.

Freelance reporter Robert I. Friedman, 51, died of heart complications resulting from a rare disease contracted while reporting in Bombay, India.

Philippe Wamba, 31, editor in chief of the Web site Africana.com, died in a car crash while doing research in Kenya.

allafrica.com Visit The Publisher's Site: <a href=allafrica.com>International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto) PRESS RELEASE May 1, 2003 Posted to the web May 2, 2003 New York

Press freedom suffered notable worldwide deterioration in 2002, due in part to political and armed conflicts and increased government-backed restrictions on independent media outlets, Freedom House announced in a major study released today.

Among the most serious developments were major setbacks for press freedom in Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

The study, Freedom of the Press 2003: A Global Survey of Media Independence, reveals that some press restrictions took place in fledgling democracies, demonstrating that the media are one of the most vulnerable sectors in societies still struggling to reform.

The entire report, which contains country-by-country analysis, can be found on Freedom House's web site at www.freedomhouse.org

The survey assesses the degree of press freedom in every country in the world and rates each country as Free, Partly Free, or Not Free.

Overall, the study reveals that 11 countries--Armenia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Jordan, Nepal, Panama, Peru, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and Venezuela--declined in category, while only 2 countries--Fiji and Sri Lanka--increased.

Of 193 countries surveyed (including the Israeli-Administered Territories/Palestinian Authority), 78 (41%, representing 20% of the world's population) were rated Free, with no significant restrictions on the news media; 47 (24%, or 38% of the global population) were rated Partly Free and are characterized by some media restrictions; and 68 (35%, or 42% of the world's population) were rated Not Free, with state control or other obstacles to a free press.

The proportion of the world's population considered Not Free increased by four percent from 2001.

"Freedom House is deeply concerned by this significant decline in press freedom," said Freedom House Executive Director Jennifer Windsor. "Of particular concern is that some countries that are nominally democratic do not feature vibrant independent media due to heavy government interference. This only reinforces the key role independent media play in keeping governments accountable," she said.

Political instability and civil conflict took a serious toll on press freedom in 2002. Media in countries such as Colombia, Nepal, and Venezuela--which all declined to Not Free--faced broader restrictions on permissible coverage and intimidation by government officials. Violent attacks against the press by some or all parties to a conflict led to significant declines in the level of press freedom as fear led to self-censorship. Those who infringe on the media's rights are often not punished for their actions, perpetuating a climate of impunity.

Ongoing armed conflicts in Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire and in the Israeli-Administered Territories/Palestinian Authority led to further declines in their numerical scores.

Democracy's Fragility

There were also worrying signs in 2002 in some of the world's more fragile democracies and transitional societies, where media do not enjoy protections from government interference normally featured in established democracies.

Restrictive legislation and politicized judiciaries still prevail in some of these countries, such as in Russia, where the government of Vladimir Putin clamped down on independent media.

In Venezuela, a protracted political crisis led to serious harassment of the media by supporters of President Hugo Chavez, resulting in the country's shift into the Not Free category.

"One of the most worrying aspects of this deterioration in press freedom is that state-directed intimidation of and attempts to influence the media are being perpetrated by democratically elected governments that seem to be increasingly unwilling to tolerate critical coverage," said Karin Karlekar, the survey's managing editor.

Bright Spots

Two countries--Sri Lanka and Fiji--registered positive category shifts during the year. Sri Lanka improved from Not Free to Partly Free as the ceasefire agreement between the government and the Tamil Eelam rebel group increased the range of permissible coverage and press access to areas formerly under rebel control. In Fiji, greater political stability helped to reduce overt harassment of the media and to move the country from Party Free to Free.

While insufficient for category shifts, progress was nonetheless registered in Angola and Chad, where civil wars have ended, and in Somalia and Afghanistan, which have seen the growth of independent media outlets. The passage of reformist media legislation in Bosnia, the former Yugoslavia, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain contributed to noticeable improvements in press freedom in those countries.

Regional Trends

Americas: Of the 35 countries of the Americas, 18 (52%) are Free, 13 (37%) are Partly Free, and 4 (11%) are Not Free. Many of the world's declines were registered in the Americas, with Colombia and Venezuela joining Cuba and Haiti in the Not Free category. Peru regressed to Partly Free after the government leveled charges against the media for libel and for reporting on corruption.

Panama also moved to Partly Free due to a widespread legal campaign against journalists by public officials, as did the Dominican Republic, due to selective placement of official advertisements in newspapers and increased concentration of media ownership.

Asia Pacific: Of 39 Asian Pacific countries, 18 (46%) are rated Free, 7 (18%) are Partly Free, and 14 (36%) are Not Free. While Sri Lanka improved to Partly Free and Fiji to Free, Nepal fell to Not Free in the midst of a violent Maoist insurgency. In Thailand, which declined from Free to Partly Free after two international publications were banned, local media faced official pressure to soften critical reporting, and several editors were forced to resign.

The restrictions in Thailand came as Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra increased executive powers and moved to prevent media coverage of official corruption.

Central & Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union: Of the 27 countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, 9 (33%) are rated Free, 8 (30%) are Partly Free, and 10 (37%) are Not Free. Russia's and Armenia's ratings declined from Partly Free to Not Free after each country's government shut down leading independent television broadcasters. Ukraine also moved to Not Free after several journalists were targeted by politically motivated libel lawsuits and obstructive tax audits. Russian and Ukrainian reporters who investigated official corruption were routinely intimidated and sometimes violently attacked. Three journalists in Russia were murdered.

Middle East & North Africa: Of the 19 Middle Eastern and North African countries, only one (5%), Israel, is rated Free. Two countries (11%), Kuwait and Morocco, are Partly Free, while sixteen (84%) are Not Free. The Middle East is the only region with an average rating of Not Free. Jordan moved to Not Free after journalists there were prosecuted for criticizing the government.

A notable decline took place in Tunisia, where authorities sentenced an Internet writer to two years in prison for spreading "false information." Several journalists were shot while covering the violence in the West Bank.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Of 48 Sub-Saharan African countries, 8 (17%) are rated Free, 16 (33%) Partly Free and 24 (50%) Not Free. In Zimbabwe, the government of Robert Mugabe passed draconian legislation that further restricted the ability of both foreign and local reporters to work freely. Eritrea--where all private newspapers have been banned and several journalists remain jailed--continued a year-old crackdown against independent media, ostensibly on national security grounds.

Western Europe: Of 25 Western European countries, 24 (96%) are rated Free. One country (4%), Turkey, is rated Partly Free. None is rated Not Free.

Freedom House, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, monitors political rights and civil liberties worldwide. In addition to its annual Freedom of the Press survey, it also publishes Freedom in the World, an annual global survey measuring freedom in every country, and Nations in Transit, a comprehensive comparative survey of the post-Communist states of Eastern and Central Europe and the former Soviet Union.

For further information, contact Michael Goldfarb, Freedom House, 120 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, U.S.A., tel: +1 212 514 8040 ext 308, fax: +1 212 514 8055, e-mail: karlekar@freedomhouse.org, Internet: www.freedomhouse.org

CONNIE CASS, <a href=www.sfgate.com>Associated Press Writer Friday, May 2, 2003
(05-02) 10:50 PDT ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) --

The names of 31 journalists who died covering the news around the world last year were added to a rainbow-hued glass memorial Friday.

The father of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan, said the lost reporters represent "the ultimate strength of open society as well as its ultimate vulnerability."

Judea Pearl said his son was killed "not for what he wrote or planned to write but for what he represented."

"To his killers," Pearl said, "he represented the ideas that every person in every civilized society aspires to uphold -- modernity, openness, pluralism, freedom of inquiry, truth and respect for all people."

Joe Urschel, executive director of the Newseum, said 17 of the 31 journalists were targeted because of their profession.

"In many cases, they knew that their efforts to get close to the story placed them in danger," Urschel said during an annual ceremony to rededicate the memorial, which has a sweeping view of Washington across the Potomac River.

Last year's deaths brings to 1,475 the toll of reporters, photographers, broadcasters and other journalists who died as a result of injury or illness while covering the news, from 1812 to 2002. As the sun painted a rainbow of colors across the spiraling glass memorial Friday morning, journalists and family members read each name aloud.

Already, names are mounting for next year's service.

At least a dozen journalists died while covering the war in Iraq, and two more are missing, said Susan Bennett, director of international exhibits for the Freedom Forum's Newseum. The foundation, dedicated to free speech and free press, maintains the journalists memorial, adding the previous year's names each May.

Names of the war dead, including NBC News reporter David Bloom, Atlantic Monthly editor-at-large Michael Kelly and Associated Press Television News cameraman Nazeh Darwazeh, will be embedded between glass panes in 2004.

Journalists killed in 2002 included a newspaper editor and a broadcaster who were shot in separate incidents in Colombia; both had received death threats. In Russia, attacks on two editors and a reporter were linked to their investigative reporting. Journalists in Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal and the Philippines also appear to have been killed because of their work, the foundation said.

Two journalists died in gunfire while covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One was struck by a U.S. tank during military exercises in Kuwait. Others died in Papua New Guinea, Uganda and Venezuela.

Alongside Pearl, Americans on this year's list are:

• Larry Greene, 50, a photographer with KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, killed in a Navy helicopter crash in the North Arabian Gulf.

• Photographer David Gerdrum, 48, and reporter Jennifer Hawkins Hinderliter, 22, killed in a traffic accident on assignment for KRTV in Great Falls, Mont.

• Freelance reporter Robert I. Friedman, 51, who died of heart complications resulting from a rare disease contracted while reporting in Bombay, India.

• Philippe Wamba, 31, editor in chief of the Web site Africana.com, who died in a car accident while doing research in Kenya.

On the Net:

Freedom Forum: www.freedomforum.org