RCTV Faces Being Yanked Off the Air, Again

CARACAS, August 1: Venezuelan network RCTV, which launched on
cable after its free-TV license was not renewed, may be yanked off the air
again if it doesn’t register as a “national producer,” a position that would
require it to carry speeches by President Hugo Chavez.

According to the Associated Press, Venezuela’s telecommunications
watchdog has given RCTV till midnight today to register as a “national
audiovisual producer.” As such, it would be required to air a certain
proportion of local content, and would have to interrupt its programming to
carry all speeches by Chavez. Platforms have been ordered to remove RCTV’s feed
should it not comply.

The Chamber of Subscription Television has lobbied for an
extension to today’s deadline but has reportedly received no response from the
authorities.

RCTV, now known as RCTV Internacional, maintains that it is an
international channel and should not required to register as a “national
audiovisual producer.” It has been available on cable since the middle of last
month, after being pulled from the terrestrial airwaves in May.