While I agree that Latin Pulse sometimes seems bias against Chavez in regards to the licensing issue I'm not so sure I'd go as far as saying the protests were staged. Do you have any sources to backup the claims that they were staged? Do you happen to have the "complete scripts" of the staged protests?

I wonder if these producers have ever watched LinkTv. Because it's not all that difficult to get these facts straight, and Link has been really good at digging down to the facts.

I think the link posted was a bit bias but not blatant. They did have two guests defending the Chavez government's decision and criticizing the hypocrisy of those who claim to be fighting for the freedom of press but ignore what's going on in Colombia and Mexico.

My issues are with the initial presentation. They portrayed it very one-sided by even citing a ridiculous claim that Venezuela's freedom of press is worse than Mexico.

I'd like to know how much these studies take into account corporate intimidation of press as it's as bad, if not worse, than state intimidation.

I haven't been on this board long enough to manage editing well, I'm sorry for my typos.

One last thought for David.

This issue isn't about "polarization". This is about LinkTV hosting spin: a rightwing, anti-democratic and fallacious account of what is happening in Venezuela.

I myself don't think Chavez is the second coming but I appreciate getting my facts straight. And David, you are defending the indefensible. Maybe the show's lovely bilingual format allowed this propaganda to sneak by all your checks. I don't pretend to know.

But I do know that credible organizations such as FAIR and Media Matters and DemocracyNow! and others have debunked the premise Pulso Latino is forwarding, that I really wonder if Link Media has a handle on this or what.

Dear David: The opening line of the segment you linked was: "As thousands tablatake to the streets in Venezuela in defense of a free press -- "

The bias is blatant, the framing is obvious.

I don't know who in San Francisco looked forward to this program more than I did when I heard it was being put on, and I apologize for upsetting anyone.

But the reporting is so obvioulsy skewed (compare and contrast it with what Amy and Greg have reported) and not consistent with the LinkTv standard.

In my culture, it is a very big sin to upset people. But, it's a bigger sin to remain silent when you witness a wrong.

Elizabeth Ferrari
San Francisco

I'd like to second what sunset has posted. On todays show, they had Venezuelan ambassador to the US defend their decision and clarify that they did NOT revoke RCTV's license, they simply did not renew it. It is an important legal subtly, however just after the ambassador pointed that out they went to commercials and when they came back the anchor referred to the action, once again, as "revoking" RCTV's license. It seemed intentional on the anchor's part.

Link TV presents several different views on this issue. In Episode 4 of Latin Pulse, which is streamed on our web site, you can hear other voices on the Venezuelan media situation. Taken as a whole, both programs present the different, polarized views on freedom of media under Chavez. Please watch and comment after seeing Episode 4 ( http://www.linktv.org/video/1466 ).

Producers Dante Betteo and Marlene Velasco-Begue are currently out of the country and are only intermittently available to respond at present. You can expect further comment from them in the coming weeks.

Thanks

David Michaelis
Director of Current Affairs, Link TV

No response from the producers to my post. Okay. I don't wish to be rude or offensive but the silence is illuminating.

A couple more questions. What other projects have these producers worked on? Who is funding this program? (Hopefully not me, because this is rightwing, anti-democratic propaganda.)

A few links that debunk the whole "Chavez is stifling dissent" meme.

Statement from FAIR: http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3107

Leading British Voices Support Venezuela's RCTV Decision:
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2007/712/36967

Venezuela's RCTV: Sine Die and Good Riddance
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=5...

I have no desire to upset this board. (I am a Latina, and we tend to avoid confrontation.)

But, in part because I am a LinkTv faithful, I can spot propaganda a mile away. Did you think you could pull this off because most people aren't bilingual in English and Spanish? If so, you have vastly underestimated LinkTv's audience.

My grandfather worked for the most brutal dictator in the whole history of El Salvador. And for you to compare Hugo Chavez to those regimes is simply fallacious if not worse.

The media in Venezuela is by and large owned by the oligarchy and you did a good job of reflecting that corporate viewpoint.

That flys in the face of the stated mission of LinkTv.

From the Producers:

The concept of Latin Pulse is to view Latin America through the eyes of the Latin American media, and that is what you were seeing in this episode. All the field pieces on the show – including the footage of student protests that you reference - were taken directly from Latin American newscasts. Latin Pulse viewers were given the opportunity to watch how Latin American newscasts were reporting the story, and nothing was doctored. All reports were attributed to their original sources, and we used diverse newscasts from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.

In addition to that, we invited the Venezuelan Ambassador to the US to defend/clarify the official Venezuelan point of view on this story. We as the producers believe that we reported the facts clearly, and that we put all the cards on the table for viewers to form their own opinion on this issue. The Ambassador clearly expressed the Venezuelan government's point of view, and all angles of the story were discussed in a balanced way. We dedicated a full half hour to this issue because we know it was a hot issue that deserved more than the 12 or 15 minutes we have given other topics on other shows, and in hindsight perhaps this topic could have deserved a full hour.

Finally, the program was not all about Chavez and Venezuela. We also extensively discussed the lack of a free press in Colombia and Mexico, which unfortunately is not noted in your comment.

Of course this is a controversial topic, and we would be concerned if we received no adverse reactions from viewers about an issue such as this one. We do appreciate your feedback on the program!

Hello Sunset:

Thanks for your comments about Latin Pulse. This forum offers opportunities to express views. I believe the Web moderators will make sure the producers see your comments so they have a chance to react.

Best,

BFuller

Today, I watched a segment on freedom of the press in Latin America that could have been written in the Bush White House because it used the same talking points about Mr. Chavez in Venezuela and promoted the same world view

It was full of factual error and based on the false premise that Chavez has "victimized" RCTV in not renewing their license. RCTV is an outlet of the oligarchy that can still be on the air on cable and satellite. It is no victim and in fact, the new station with its public broadcasting format will free the flow of information and diversify it. So, Pulso Latino got it exactly backward.

The show unself-consciously used film footage of student "protests" that have already been shown to have been staged -- complete with scripts! -- by the same right wing oligarchy that staged protests before the failed coup in the nineties.

I was so disappointed. I was really hoping this would be a "Mosaic" for Latin America, not one more outlet for corporatists to smear Chavez. LinkTv is my favorite on air news source and, I hope that this segment of Pulso Latino will prove to be an anomoly.