"Es un evento muy importante para nosotros y para el país, están todos invitados a este acto, que es el primer paso hacia la democratización que todos aspiramos en el espacio radioeléctrico, la creación de una industria audiovisual y radiofónica independiente"
Venezuela has taken another step in cementing a relationship with the Middle East by possibly helping to create a media partnership that has the potential to shift the axis of influence from West to East (Middle East). I guess this must be the new populism Condi was talking about.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, tireless polemist and Bush nemesis, has a new pet project: a continent-wide television network slated for broadcast throughout South America in the coming weeks. Telesur, or "Television of the South," aims to be a competitor of CNN, Univison and other global giants seen by southern neighbors as minions of American hegemony. Described by its new director, Aram Aharonian, as South America's "first counter-hegemonic media project," Telesur reportedly has 20 employees but hopes to work its way up to at least 60. The Chavez government has coughed up $2.5 million for the project thus far and is permitting Telesur to operate as an affiliate of Venezuelan state television. Instead of moving over, Al Jazeera may be moving in, with Telesur that is. As Telesur gets set to launch, the Arab-language news program Al Jazeera, which is funded by oil-rich Qatar, is expanding into Latin America, opening a bureau in Caracas and possibly creating logistical ties with Telesur. An article posted on a Venezuelan government web site refers to Al Jazeera's expansion into South America as "being framed within the Telesur-Al Jazeera project." A spokesperson for Al Jazeera said he could not confirm that the two networks have signed any deals between them but said it is possible that the two state-funded enterprises could be cooperating logistically. Kozloff says it is his understanding that Telesur has entered a deal to extend office space to Al Jazeera in Telesur's headquarters. Experts note that trouble can arise when nations control media outlets. "All media financed by states are susceptible to pressure and government orientations if regulations are not established that guarantee editorial autonomy," said Jaime Abello of The Foundation for New Ibero-American Journalism, a Colombia-based group founded by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
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