(IPYS/IFEX) – On 3 November 2006, President Hugo Chávez warned television companies, without specifying any individually, that his government would not renew the transmission concessions for 2007 of those that had promoted his overthrow. He made the warning during an official ceremony in the town of Los Teques in the State of Miranda, northern Venezuela. […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 3 November 2006, President Hugo Chávez warned television companies, without specifying any individually, that his government would not renew the transmission concessions for 2007 of those that had promoted his overthrow. He made the warning during an official ceremony in the town of Los Teques in the State of Miranda, northern Venezuela.
The president claimed that the state owns the radio-electric spectrum and reminded his listeners that the concessions of some unspecified television companies will expire in 2007. Two of the companies who oppose the government – RCTV and Globovisión – responded to the president’s warning by stating that their concessions will expire in 2020 and 2015, respectively.
The administration of the radio-electric spectrum is the responsibility of the National Telecommunications Commission (Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, CONATEL), which is legally authorised to make decisions about the renewal of concessions. CONATEL’s client service department told IPYS that in order to find out which television companies’ licenses will expire in 2007, it would be necessary to send a letter to General Manager Alvin Lezama. IPYS will do so.
In June 2006, Chávez ordered the concessions of television companies that supported the 2002 attempted coup d’etat to be reviewed (see IFEX alert of 16 June 2006).
