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'''Radio Caracas Television''' ('''RCTV''') is a [[Venezuela]]n [[television]] [[Television network|network]] headquartered in [[Caracas]]. It is sometimes referred to as the '''Canal de Bárcenas'''. Owned by [[Empresas 1BC]], RCTV was founded on [[November 15]] [[1953]] by [[William H. Phelps]]. Its [[Radio station|radio]] counterpart is [[Radio Caracas Radio]].
'''Radio Caracas Television''' ('''RCTV''') is a [[Venezuela]]n [[television]] [[Television network|network]] headquartered in [[Caracas]]. It is sometimes referred to as the '''Canal de Bárcenas'''. Owned by [[Empresas 1BC]], RCTV was founded on [[November 15]] [[1953]] by [[William H. Phelps]]. Its [[Radio station|radio]] counterpart is [[Radio Caracas Radio]].


Following the election of [[Hugo Chavez]] as President of Venezuela in 1998, the station became the loudest voice of the opposition to his [[Bolivarian Revolution]],{{dubious}} and is alleged to have supported the [[2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt|failed coup d'état]] against Venezuela's democratically elected government.{{lopsided}}
The government of Venezuela accuses RCTV of supporting the [[2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt|2002 failed coup d'état]] that briefly overthrew [[List of presidents of Venezuela|Venezuelan President]] [[Hugo Chávez]] from his position.


On [[May 27]] [[2007]], the [[Venezuelan government]] forced RCTV to cease its broadcasting, by refusing to renew its license. The state-sponsored station [[TVes]] now operates on channel 2—where RCTV previously broadcast. RCTV still has the right to operate on satellite and cable. Currently, they have not chosen to broadcast on paid services.
When the station's 20 year broadcasting license ran out in 2007, the Venezuelan [[Politics of Venezuela|government]] refused to renew the license, and the station was consequently taken off air on [[May 27]], [[2007]]. The loss of license did not affect the station's right to broadcast over satellite or cable.


Venezuelan government seized and started using RCTV's broadcast equipment, based on a ruling issued by the Chávez-controlled [[Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Venezuela)|Supreme Court of Justice]] (''Tribunal Supremo de Justicia'' or TSJ), which allowed government sponsored [[TVes]] to broadcast throughout Venezuela.
The Venezuelan government seized and started using RCTV's broadcast equipment, based on a ruling issued by the [[Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Venezuela)|Supreme Court of Justice]] (''Tribunal Supremo de Justicia'' or TSJ), which allowed government sponsored TVes to broadcast throughout Venezuela.


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 19:03, 29 May 2007

Radio Caracas Television
TypeDefunct broadcast television network
BrandingRCTV
Country
 Venezuela
First air date
November 15, 1953
AvailabilityNational
FoundedNovember 15, 1953
by William H. Phelps
Broadcast area
National
OwnerRadio Caracas Television RCTV, C.A. / Empresas 1BC
Key people
Eladio Larez, RCTV President
Marcel Granier, Empresas 1BC Director
Launch date
November 15, 1953
2, 3, 7, 10
Official website
RCTV

Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) is a Venezuelan television network headquartered in Caracas. It is sometimes referred to as the Canal de Bárcenas. Owned by Empresas 1BC, RCTV was founded on November 15 1953 by William H. Phelps. Its radio counterpart is Radio Caracas Radio.

The government of Venezuela accuses RCTV of supporting the 2002 failed coup d'état that briefly overthrew Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez from his position.

On May 27 2007, the Venezuelan government forced RCTV to cease its broadcasting, by refusing to renew its license. The state-sponsored station TVes now operates on channel 2—where RCTV previously broadcast. RCTV still has the right to operate on satellite and cable. Currently, they have not chosen to broadcast on paid services.

The Venezuelan government seized and started using RCTV's broadcast equipment, based on a ruling issued by the Supreme Court of Justice (Tribunal Supremo de Justicia or TSJ), which allowed government sponsored TVes to broadcast throughout Venezuela.

History

1953 to 1960

Radio Caracas Television was launched by Radio Caracas Radio (previously known as Radio Caracas) on November 15, 1953. It was the third television network to begin operations in Venezuela (Televisora Nacional, channel five, was the first and Televisa, channel four, was the second). The following day, on November 16, 1953, El Observador Creole, Venezuela's first regular television news service, went on the air. Later, El Observador Creole changed its name to El Observador Venezolano and eventually, this would become El Observador. Theatrical works were part of RCTV's original programming. They included titles such as Kaleidoscopio, Anecdotario, Teatro del Lunes, Gran teatro, Ciclorama, Cuentos del Camino, and Candilejas were broadcasted.

The first ever live televised broadcast of an international sporting event was a game played between Cuba and Venezuela during the World Cup of Baseball in late 1953. In 1954, RCTV introduced El Show de las Doce, one of the first variety programs in Venezuela, which was conducted by Víctor Saume. Guest stars on this show included Pedro Infante, Libertad Lamarque, Magdalena Sánchez, and Cherry Navarro, to name a few. The first television soap opera (telenovela) to air in Venezuela was RCTV's Camay in 1954. It starred Hilda Vera and Luis Salazar and came on at 9pm. Since then, telenovelas have been a very important part of RCTV's programming. Throughout the 1950s, telenovelas contained between 20 and 25 episodes, were on 15 minutes a day (about three of those for advertisements), and were televised live.

In early 1955, RCTV began service exclusively to Caracas on channel two from a new transmitting station located in the Caracas neighborhood of La Colina. By July, RCTV began regular service to other parts of Venezuela from two repeater stations located in Altamira and south of the Lake Valencia (enabling RCTV to be seen in the cities of Valencia and Maracay on channel seven). Later, RCTV began service in the Falcon State, Netherlands Antilles and Aruba on channel 10 from a repeater station located in Curimagua. In January 1957, RCTV made improvements to this repeater station. RCTV also began service to the Zulia State from the Isla de Toas and to the Lara State from mount Manzano in Barquisimeto. On October 31, RCTV began service to the northeastern region of Venezuela on channel three from a repeater station located in Puerto la Cruz.

In 1958, with the fall of dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez, RCTV began airing La Voz de la Revolucion, the first political opinion show to air in Venezuela. In 1959, Tito Martinez Del Box, a producer from Argentina, brought to RCTV La Gran Cruzada del Buen Humor, which later became Radio Rochela. This program made the Guinness World Records for being on the air for five decades uninterrupted (it is currently seen every Monday at 8pm).

1960 to 1970

In the 1960s, the videotape system appeared in Venezuela, meaning that all shows no longer had to be made live and could be edited for content. In 1961, RCTV began experimenting with stereo sound during a variety show with the help of Radio Caracas Radio. In that same year, a fire partially destroyed RCTV's studios in Caracas.

In 1962, RCTV began service to the Tachira State and the Norte de Santander Department in Colombia from El Zumbador. In 1964, RCTV built a new transmitting station on the mountains located to the southeast of Puerto la Cruz and Barcelona to offer a better service to the Isla de Margarita, Cumaná, Barcelona, Puerto La Cruz, and other towns in the Sucre and Anzoátegui States by way of channel three. Later, RCTV inaugurated a transmitting station on Pico Terepaima, south of Barquisimeto that introduced higher quality service to the Lara, Yaracuy, and Portuguesa States on channel three. In November, from Pico Zamuro, in Trujillo, RCTV began service to the towns of Trujillo, Valera, Biscucuy, Boconó, and Guanare. On May 16, 1965 RCTV began service to the Venezuelan Andean region from a transmitting station located at the Mérida cable car.

Telenovelas went from lasting 15 minutes a day to between 30 to 60 minutes a day during this decade. Also, telenovelas with sole sponsors disappeared in the year 1964 with the telenovelas La Novela del Hogar (which came on a 2pm), La Novela de Pasion (which came on at 2:25pm), and La Novela Romantica (which came on at 2:55pm). La Tirana (1967, created by Manuel Muñoz Rico), was the first telenovela to be aired on Saturdays. On July 21, 1969, RCTV was one of the only television stations that transmitted, live, direct, and exclusively the first visit to the moon by humans. Until then, this was perhaps the most extraordinary event seen on television in the world.

1970 to 1980

RCTV broadcasted the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, which was the first World Cup seen live and exclusively in Venezuela.

In 1972, RCTV began selling the rights of some of their programs to other television stations in other countries. Today, RCTV claims that some of their shows can be seen in more than 60 countries and dubbed in more than 20 languages. The three hundred episode telenovela, La Usurpadora was RCTV's first telenovela seen in a different country.

On August 30, 1973, RCTV inaugurated a transmitting station in Punta de Mulatos, between La Guaira and Macuto, that offered a better signal in the region. On June 23, 1974 RCTV began service to Ciudad Bolívar on channel three, and in June to Puerto Ordaz, on channel two.

Doña Bárbara, based on the novel written by Rómulo Gallegos, was RCTV's first color production. It was adapted for television by José Ignacio Cabrujas with Marina Baura as the title role. This production was the first Venezuelan program to be broadcast in Europe. 80% of the telenovela was filmed outdoors.

On March 31, 1976, RCTV was shut down by the government for 72 hours for a report that they did on the kidnapping of the American businessman William Niehous.

Radio Caracas Televisión founded the Fundación Academia Nacional de Ciencias y Artes de Cine on November 15, 1978.

1980 onwards

In the year 1981, RCTV officially began color transmissions. In Venezuela, the NTSC color system is used.

During the first years of the 1990s, RCTV developed a series of made-for-TV-movies. Some were based on non-fictional and fictional events. Among these included: La Madamme (with Mimí Lazo), Cuerpos Clandestinos (with María Conchita Alonso), Volver a ti (with Ruddy Rodríguez), and Buen Corazón (with Coraima Torres).

By 1992, RCTV had lost much of its audience to its main rival, Venevisión, but after the launch of Por Estas Calles, RCTV became by far the number one television station in Venezuela in terms of rating. This resulted in Venevisión to cancel its contract with Marte TV (Channel 12; now La Tele), and as a result Marte TV nearly entered bankruptcy.

On November 15, 1999, RCTV had been on the air for a total of 16,000 days.

During RCTV's 50th anniversary week, in November 2003, segments of past shows and old newscasts were aired.

Since 2002, RCTV has been the most popular television network in Venezuela in terms of viewer ratings.

On 18 July 2005, Empresas 1BC president Marcel Granier and RCTV president Eladio Larez inaugurated El Observador's new headquarters, the Centro Nacional de Noticias.

In Venezuela, as in many other countries, reality shows have become very popular. They include ¿Quien Quiere Ser Millonario? (the Venezuelan version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?), Fama y Aplausos (later Fama Sudor y Lagrimas, similar to American Idol), and Date con Todo, the competition of Bailando con las Estrellas (Dancing with the Stars) on Super Sabado Sensacional (Venevisión).

RCTV was affiliated with Telemundo, the North American Spanish-language television network owned by NBC, Caracol TV, and Ecuavisa. On December 15, 2006, Tu Tienda RCTV, a gift shop which sells various products containing the logo of RCTV, ¿Quien Quiere Ser Millonario?, and RCTV's new telenovela, Te Tengo en Salsa, opened in the Recordland at the Sambil Mall in Caracas.

Main article: RCTV logos

RCTV has had three different logos throughout their history.

Programming

Further information: List of programs broadcast by RCTV

News

Main article: El Observador

El Observador was RCTV's main newscast. It was broadcast three times a day, except for Sundays, when it only comes on during important events such as an election.

International broadcasts

Some of RCTV's programs could be seen in other countries on various channels; RCTV, together with Globovisión, had also created TV Venezuela, a premium subscription channel available to those with a DirecTV service.

Shut down

Venezuelans rally in support of RCTV

On December 28, 2006, President Hugo Chávez announced that the government would not renew RCTV's broadcast license which it said expired on May 27, 2007, thereby forcing the channel to cease operations on that day.[1] The government maintains that the non-renewal is caused by RCTV's support for the 2002 coup attempt against the democratically elected government of Chávez.[unbalanced opinion?]

The Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ)—controlled by Chávez allies[2]—ruled on April 17 that it is within the National Telecommunications Commission's power to decide on the issuing, renewal and revocation of broadcast licenses.[3] RCTV may continue broadcasting over cable or DTH systems (DirecTV Latin America) when its license expires, but the government will take over the equipment, studios and even the master control for their use in the new station it has created on May 27 2007. On May 24, the Supreme Court (TSJ) ordered RCTV to stop broadcasting as soon as its license expires and approved the government's takeover of all of its equipment and stations, though it would review the station's appeal of the decision. Chávez plans to start broadcasting a public service channel, TVes, using this infrastructure which belonged to RCTV.[4]

The Supreme Court (TSJ) ruled that RCTV's broadcasting equipment must be available to TVes. The ruling also ordered the military to guard the equipment. This allows TVes to be available in the same locations where RCTV used to broadcast.[5]

The final program airing on RCTV Sunday was an all day/night retrospective tribute to the network, featuring some if not all of the stars and staff of RCTV.

On Saturday, May 26, RCTV shut down its live internet stream in preparation for its forced close-down on Sunday, May 27. At 0400 UTC on May 28 RCTV ceased broadcasting and was replaced by TVes.

Reasons

The government accuses the network of participating in the 2002 failed coup d'état that briefly overthrew Venezuela's democratically elected government.[unbalanced opinion?] RCTV argues that no trial has been conducted that links the network to the coup attempt.[6] However, when crowds came to the streets demanding the return of Chavez to power, RCTV refused to air this.[7][unreliable source?]

RCTV was not the only channel that did not broadcast the demonstrations backing Chavez' return to power. Other channels, including Venevisión, did not show Chavez's supporters either.[citation needed] Venevisión recently received a 5-year extension of its license,[citation needed] while RCTV was denied the same extension.

RCTV also argues that the channel's license expires in 2022 rather than 2007. The government states that a 1987 decree during Jaime Lusinchi's presidential term, gave RCTV a 20-year license, while the network claims that the failure of the National Telecommunications Commission to issue an administrative authorization by June 12 2002, automatically granted the channel a 20-year license renewal. The government rejected this interpretation, stating that the converting of licenses into administrative authorizations did not mean a license renewal, just a census of broadcasters.[6]

National reactions

Further information: [[:May 2007 RCTV protests]]

According to an April 2007 poll by the Venezuelan company Datanálisis, 13% of the population agree with the revocation of RCTV's license, while 70% reject the government's decision.[8] Several rallies took place, both in favor and against the government's decision. One rally in favor took place in Caracas on May 21 2007 with "thousands of protesters."[9] On May 25 2007, university students from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, the Universidad Simón Bolívar and the Universidad Central de Venezuela protested against the government's intentions.[10][11]

International reactions

Many individuals, international organizations and NGOs — including the OAS's Secretary General José Miguel Insulza[12] and its Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression,[13] the Inter American Press Association,[14] Human Rights Watch,[15] and the Committee to Protect Journalists[16] — have expressed concerns for freedom of the press.[17] The International Press Institute stated that it as "a flagrant attempt to silence the station's critical voice and in violation of everyone's right 'to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,' as outlined in Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights" [18] The Committee to Protect Journalists "concluded [Chavez's] government failed to conduct a fair and transparent review of RCTV's concession renewal. The report, based on a three-month investigation, found the government’s decision was a predetermined and politically motivated effort to silence critical coverage." [19] Reporters Without Borders stated "The closure of RCTV [...] is a serious violation of freedom of expression and a major setback to democracy and pluralism. President Chávez has silenced Venezuela’s most popular TV station and the only national station to criticize him, and he has violated all legal norms by seizing RCTV’s broadcast equipment for the new public TV station that is replacing it." [20] Freedom House has downgraded Venezuela's press freedom rating from "Partly Free" to "Not Free".[21] José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director for Human Rights Watch, called the RCTV case "clearly a case of censorship and the most grave step back in the region since Fujimori," referring to the alleged manipulation of the media by Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori in the 1990s. "Chavez is not renewing the concession to punish a medium for its opposition to the government," Vivanco said.[22]

Criticism

See also: Criticism of Hugo Chávez

RCTV has been criticized by Hugo Chávez's government and supporters for its role in the attempted coup of April 11 2002 and the December 2, 2002 to February 4, 2003 general strike (during which free advertisements for the opposition were broadcast by privately owned TV stations including RCTV).[citation needed] On the afternoon of April 11, 2002, RCTV interrupted a speech made by Chávez by splitting the screen to broadcast a shooting that was taking place at an opposition march on one side, Chávez on the other. Over the next couple of days, the private networks supported Pedro Carmona's interim government, which established a transitional government and dissolved the National Assembly and the Supreme Court via the Act of the constitution of the Democratic Transition and National Unity Government (Acta de constitución del Gobierno de Transición Democrática y Unidad Nacional). As the transitional government began to collapse, RCTV conducted a news blackout (as other private channels also did). RCTV workers were in the building while hundreds of Chávez followers took control of the area for more than eight hours.[citation needed]

DirecTV Venezuela

DirecTV Venezuela has substituted RCTV with TVES on 104.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Chavez to shut down opposition TV". BBC. 29 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Venezuela: Chávez Allies Pack Supreme Court". Human Rights Watch. December 14 2004. Retrieved 2007-05-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    * "Storm over Venezuela court reform". BBC News. 30 April 2004. Retrieved 2007-05-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    * Kennedy, Alex (May 25 2007). "Chavez Pulls Plug on Venezuelan Television Network (Update4)". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2007-05-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    * Corrales, Javier and Michael Penfold (May 6 2007). "Venezuela: Crowding out the opposition". Petroleum World. Retrieved 2007-05-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
    * Thorpe, Jacqueline (May 22 2007). "Chavez and Silva a study in contrasts: As news for Brazil keeps improving, Venezuela slides". National Post. Retrieved 2007-05-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Venezuela Court Dismisses RCTV Challenge". Forbes. 2007-05-18. Retrieved 2007-05-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  4. ^ "Court: Venezuelan TV station must stop broadcasting". Associated Press. 2007-05-24. Retrieved 2007-05-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  5. ^ "Venezuelan court seizes RCTV's equipment for state". Taipei Times. 2007-05-27. Retrieved 2007-05-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b Artega, Katrina (2007-05-23). "Legal specifics". El Universal. Retrieved 2007-05-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  7. ^ "Coup Co-Conspirators as Free-Speech Martyrs".
  8. ^ Chirinos, Carlos (2007-04-27). "Encuesta: mayoría contra cierre RCTV" (in Spanish). BBC Mundo. Retrieved 2007-05-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  9. ^ Toothhaker, Chiristopher (2007-05-21). "Protesters Decry Loss of Venezuela TV". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-05-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  10. ^ "Estudiantes de la UCAB y la USB protestan en apoyo a RCTV" (in Spanish). El Universal. 2007-05-25. Retrieved 2007-05-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  11. ^ "Ucevistas protestaron en la autopista Francisco Fajardo cierre de RCTV" (in Spanish). El Universal. 2007-05-25. Retrieved 2007-05-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  12. ^ "Secretary General expresses concern over decision not to renew broadcasting license of Venezuelan television station" (Press release). Organization of American States. January 5 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-28. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression expresses concern over the situation of RCTV in Venezuela". Organization of American States. December 31 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ "IAPA assails Venezuela's Chávez over non-renewal of TV station license" (Press release). Inter American Press Association. December 29 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-28. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Venezuela: TV Shutdown Harms Free Expression". Human Rights Watch. May 22 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "'Lack of transparency' in Venezuelan broadcast case" (Press release). Committee to Protect Journalists. January 12 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-28. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ "Non-renewal of RCTV license a threat to media pluralism, will cost 2,000 their jobs, says IFJ" (Press release). International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX). 24 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-27. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ IPI condemns shutdown of RCTV television station in Venezuela International Press Institute Accessed 29 May 2007.
  19. ^ Joel Simon, Executive Director CPJ urges Chávez to allow RCTV to stay on the air Committee to Protect Journalists Accessed 29 May 2007.
  20. ^ International community urged to rally to defense of Venezuela’s media after RCTV’s closure Reporters Without Borders Accessed 29 May 2007.
  21. ^ Venezuela (2006). Freedom House. Accessed 29 May 2007.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference WashPost20070118 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Directv
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