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Venezuela legislature restricts live media coverage

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Venezuela's National Assembly has prohibited private television stations from presenting live coverage of its debates, according to reports printed Saturday. The restriction came after Globovision broadcast live video of Deputy Hugo Marquez viewing images of women wearing bathing suits or less on a laptop computer during discussion of a constitutional amendment to abolish presidential term limits. Only state channel AN TV will be allowed to broadcast live from legislative sessions. In May 2007, Venezuelan Information Minister William Lara filed lawsuits against media giant CNN and Globovision, alleging that the two stations presented false information concerning Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and that Globovision issued a call for Chavez's assassination. In August 2007, the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice suspended an order issued by the government's telecommunication commission requiring Radio Caracas Television to register as a "national audiovisual production service" or face shutdown after agreeing to hear a case on whether cable and satellite television channels are obligated to transmit government-mandated content. In July 2006, the Inter American Press Association claimed Chavez was silencing dissent by prosecuting journalists under questionable circumstances.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 18, 2009 (boomark / email).