Public Works Minister Diosdado Cabello says the government is ready to "intervene" if cable companies interfere with signals of State-owned TV, the Associated Press reports in Spanish. This follows an earlier threat to revoke the licenses of 240 radio stations.
The new regulations that took effect Friday (July 10) will require cable and satellite TV channels to broadcast speeches by President Hugo Chávez if they produce more than 70 percent of their content within the country. TV stations will be considered "international" if more than 70 percent of content is foreign, the BBC reports.
Speaking to the National Assembly, Cabello also announced the proposal of a new law that will prohibit media companies from owning more than three radio stations. Violators will lose their broadcast signals, El Nacional and BBC Mundo report.
“The radio space has been one of the few sites where the revolution hasn't been felt," Cabello said, adding that the measures would “democratize” the radio spectrum. "We will not cede anything because we owe nothing to the country's oligarchy."
English-language media provide varying accounts.
» Venezuelan Government Says it Will Eliminate Telecom Monopolies (Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas)
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