From: Bruce Girard <resystom%igc.apc.org@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Subject: VENEZUELA: RADIO STATION PUNISHED F
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 19:19:22 GMT

/* Written  3:32 am  Dec 14, 1992 by hrcoord@igc.apc.org in igc:media.issues */
/* ---------- "VENEZUELA: RADIO STATION PUNISHED F" ---------- */
From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: VENEZUELA: RADIO STATION PUNISHED F

/* Written 12:16 am  Dec 14, 1992 by newsdesk@igc.apc.org in
igc:ips.englibrary */ Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all
rights reserved.  Permission to re- print within 7 days of
original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: VENEZUELA: RADIO STATION PUNISHED FOR ITS BROADCASTS DURING
COUP

caracas, dec 11 (ips) -- the venezuelan government has decided to
close the popular ''radio rumbos'' for a week, after accusing it
of fomenting rebellion and civil disobedience during the attempted
coup on nov. 27 coup.

communications minister fernando martinez said the government's
decision ''seeks to preserve the system of freedoms of the
communications media in venezuela, as established by law.''

venezuelan president carlos andres perez used ''radio rumbos'' to
communicate with the entire country soon after the coup began.

but the government accused the station of broadcasting exaggerated
reports on the events which shook caracas on the morning of nov.
27.

the one-week suspension is the only case of censorship against any
media house in venezuela since the failed coup, which resulted in
at least 200 deaths.

the measure has been deplored by other media here.

the government's first move against ''radio rumbos,'' which is
based in caracas and has a nationwiwde audience, came on the very
day of the coup, when the interior ministry ordered it to suspend
its transmissions.

after the radio station's directors refused to comply with the
order, police forced their way into its installations and
deliberately damaged some of its equipment, while journalists
present insulted the lawmen on the air.

journalist eleazer diaz rangel told ips that although the radio
station reported ''opportunely and truthfully'' on the nov.  27
events, its reporters lost the orientation that a communications
medium needed to have during the coup.

however, he said that the authorities' handling of the situation
was one of the government's worst errors during the nov. 27
upheaval.

the station's directors have recognized that the news broadcast on
the morning of the coup ''were not the most convenient in those
moments.''

the media house will continue transmitting until the cabinet
decision on its suspension is published in the official gazette,
which could take as long as one week.

initially, the government had planned to suspend the radio
station's lease: in venezuela radio and television frequencies
belong to the state, which leases them to private concerns.
----

media houses here, especially the television, became participants
in the nov. 27 uprising, when the rebels forced them to relay
their messages for three hours.  (end/ips/trd/so/caf-cs/kb/92)
----


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