The News Dissector: How does U.S. TV cover Venezuela?

Danny Schechter: "The News Dissector" on television coverage of the Venezuelan referendum

Monday December 10th, 2007

Danny Schechter, a former network TV producer and radio newscaster, known as "The News Dissector" edits Mediachannel.org. He has written nine books on media themes. His latest, Squeezed: America As The Bubble Bursts was inspired by his latest film, In Debt We Trust

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• commentary
• analysis
• news
• realnews
• therealnews
• venezuela
• referendum
• democracy
• dictator
• television
• putin
• russia
• dissector

[TheRealNews]

if you'd like to see some of our coverage check out the "Related Videos"

[7thStreetSaints]

difference, Putin hates democracy just as much as Stalin did. On the other hand, by all indications, Chavez loves democracy and we really ought to be embarrassed that so many Latin American countries have more vibrant democracies than we do; and this despite all our interventions to oppose them

[beatbaker]

So he created the largest MIDDLE CLASS in Venezuela history, gave power to the people rather than the ultra elite and He is a dictator? While Bush has decimated the middle class, Given more power to the ultra elite and you continue to believe in American Media? WTF?

[danschaoticmind]

@mischeviousmojo13 I actually have some questions about the cost of living, ease of movement throughout the country, and the likes, I would like to hear your opinions and views more so if you don't mind please shoot me a message sometime. I find that I cannot trust even slightly the news coverage of Venezuela when all they do is call Chavez a dictator yet the bits and pieces I receive suggest otherwise (Including peoples rights to vote him out of office etc)

[mischeviousmojo13]

... government there is corrrupt to a point where even the poorest people can afford to bribe government officials. :) But that means its not just the rich pricks who can do what they want. At least if they have a job, the unemployment rate is very high there right now. I will probably be moving back there in a couple years. As long as you can stay off the government's craplist you can have a business and make enough money to enjoy life there. And everyone there is very friendly.

[mischeviousmojo13]

And And yes, gas costs next to nothing :) ... although Chavez has also done some bad things. At times he has nationalized good SMALL businesses and put many good people out of work. He could raise the minimum wage 5 or 10 times more most people only make $30 a week and that isn't enough to survive. He puts out as many lies in his propaganda as the american press does, although he is right about american govt. There is more freedom there than in the US, but that is because the ....

[mischeviousmojo13]

I lived in venezuela for a year. And I am a staunch socialist, but not a chavista. Chavez has done some great things, like free medicine and healthcare, which he got by trading oil to the cubans. Although not ALL medical care there is free. If you need brain surgery or something, you have to pay up front. If you don't pay, you die or suffer. But that isn't so much the government's fault I don't think. I just believe there aren't enough specialized socialist doctors in the country....

[viceralbass]

europa ellect presidents indefinitedly and have kings whoaaa  why we cant maybe g8 think we are animals

[osofieroso]

media is dangerous

[inbrooklyn2008]

It's not a "presidency for life" in any sense.

What's up on the table is a proposal for a voting referendum, to see if the majority (which supports Chavez) happens to be in favor of getting rid of term limits, so Chavez can continue to run. He would still need to get reelected every time a term expires.

Many countries don't have term limits: for instance, Britain's Margaret Thatcher was in office from 1979 to 1990.

And even Bush's cabinet recognized Venezuela's elections as legitimate.

[franz909]

Chavez democratically elected TWICE and if he put up his presidency for Life up for a VOTE he's not a very good dictator

He also needs to stop providing free health care and medicine for the poor and he needs to stop providing a gallon of gas for 25 cents if he wants to reflect what the U.S. lap dog media says he is

U.S. has its eyes on Their oil just like Iraq Iran and Nigeria and now they flew into their airspace with a fighter plane " accidentally "

Their first U.S. coup against him failed

[elobservadorenliinea]

lol..dictator,president for life,is not that bad, even he is ambitious...

[Vipunkx]

is this show only for the internet??