by Emilee Gaebler
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan television company, Globovisión, has been fined $2.1 million for their editorial conduct. Venezuelan media regulator, Conatel, announced the fine on Tuesday. The amount represents roughly 7.5% of Globovisión’s gross income.
Conatel’s director, Peter Maldonado, stated that the fine stemmed from the private television company’s reporting in July of the riots at the El Rodeo prisons. Maldonado said that the reporting incited “the anxiety of the citizenry” and “promoted hatred and intolerance for political reasons.”
Specifically, Maldonado stated that interviews with relatives of inmates were played more than 300 times and that false audio was added to the tracks, including the sound of gunfire. Globovisión defended their coverage of the events, stating they were not permitted onto the scene and that their reporting was fair and balanced under the circumstances.
In December, Venezuela passed media responsibility laws in order to ensure social responsibility from those who transmit text, image, sound or information via television, radio or the internet. Globovisión is accused of violating two of these laws. The first is their failure to pick up appearances by government officials that were broadcasted by state media. Second, that they broke the law that prohibits stirring anxiety in the public and inciting intolerance for political reasons.
Globovisión has stated that they will appeal this fine as it will bankrupt them, effectively shutting the network down. They have made clear their feelings that this fine is simply a way to force them out of operation. Globovisión is currently the only remaining news station in Venezuela that is openly critical of President Chávez.
The owner of Globovisión, Guillermo Zuloaga, is living in exile due to prosecution from the Venezuelan government. He is wanted for allegedly storing illegal vehicles on his property with the intent to sell them for profit. His son is also wanted by the Venezuelan government.
Zuloaga claims that these charges are trumped up; that they are an attempt to silence his criticism of the government. In a phone call interview, regarding the fine, he stated this was “one more attack by a government that has only fear of freedom of expression.” Zuloaga also said that if necessary, he will come up with the funds to pay the fine himself. He is adamant that he will make sure this fine does not shut the news station down.
Past investigations into Globovisión have been conducted by the government for a variety of reasons. These investigations have taken place for trivial violations, like reporting on an earthquake before an official report was released, to allegations of failure to pay taxes.
Last year, RCTV, another independent news station, was forced out of business when Chávez refused to renew their license for alleged telecommunication regulation violations. Since Chávez’s election in 1999, state-owned media has expanded dramatically.
For more information, please see;
Aljazeera – Anti-Government TV Channel Fined in Venezuela – 19 October 2011
National Public Radio – Venezuela Fines TV Station for Prison Coverage – 19 October 2011
BBC News –Huge Fine for Venezuela Opposition Channel Globovision – 18 October 2011
CNN – Venezuela Fines Independent Broadcaster – 18 October 2011
El Universal – Telecoms Agency Fines Globovisión for Coverage of Prison Riot – 18 October 2011
