WHAT'S HAPPENED?

The Venezuelan government publicly announced its intention to close RCTV on May 27th of the present year, a decision which is openly illegal due to the fact that it ignores the right that RCTV has to operate until 2022, according to the Telecommunications Act.
The real reason behind this decision is political not legal, as President Chávez has announced repeatedly in several occasions. And I quote:

Six months before the elections: "There are some networks that have given signs of change. I have given orders to revise the concessions. There are some networks which apparently have the intensions to respect the law. Those who supported the coup which were all. I mean, we had our chance to eliminate the concessions at the time. However, we were willing to have a dialogue and reflect on the facts. Was it a mistake? I don't think so. There's a time for everything." (June 14th, 2006).

A month before the elections: "I remind the Media that next year all concessions expire. Don't be surprised if on March 26th  I tell you there is no concession?" (November 3rd, 2006).

Three weeks after the elections: "There will be no more concession for that network involved in the coup called Radio Caracas Televisión"; "In Venezuela we will not tolerate any Media that is at the service of coups, against the people, the nation, national independence. My government will not tolerate any media that stands against the people." (December 28th, 2006).

Six weeks after the elections: "There's only just a few days left. You can scream, fight, do whatever you want, the concession is over for that fascist network. Do whatever you want, say whatever you want, call me whatever you want, I don't care, it's over". (January 13th, 2007).

WHY DO THEY DO IT AND WHY RCTV?

Radio Caracas Televisión represents the longest trajectory in the history of Venezuelan television, the widest experience in audiovisual media, and a tradition for independent, critical and plural journalism, recognized by all nation-wide. Closing RCTV is attempting against half a century of Venezuelan television, against thousands of employees and their families, but over all against the majority of its audience who honors through its preference and follows our programming.

The confusing legal argument stated by the President and his ministers, hides a unique purpose: silence the leading independent television network left in Venezuela, the one with the widest range and preferred by the country. Leaders defending pluralism, respecting the President's followers, but also the rest of the Venezuelan people; those who believe in other ideologies and other religions. We are an independent network, critical, democratic and plural.

Other television and radio stations are under the same legal situation as RCTV is. The government has been incapable of legally justify the discrimination against RCTV, and has explicitly said that RCTV has not changed its editorial line, while others have done so.

WHO SUPPORTS US?

The support for RCTV comes from every aspect of the Venezuelan society. Eight out of every 10 Venezuelans reject the decision. Of those 8, six are independents or President's followers. Nevertheless, they reject the decision. In other words, government followers or not, young or old, right-winged or left-winged, poor or middle-class, employees or businessmen, artists or soldiers, all support RCTV. No one agrees that RCTV should be transformed into another one of the many government media stations.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY CLOSE RCTV?

Our argument is simple: If President Chávez is not even willing to put his reforms under evaluation by a Congress entirely controlled by the government -because he doesn't care for discussion or debate- is clear that he will much less tolerate an independent television network preferred by its audience.  Closing RCTV, is just another step in his path to control all power left in Venezuela.

If closing RCTV is allowed, as part of President Chávez's political strategy, the country will be left on the hands of only one political will, which will be left unchecked and free to act on its own.

If RCTV is shut down, we all loose the right to choose; even how to entertain ourselves will be controlled by Chávez.

If RCTV were to be shut down, everyone ?independent editors and journalists- will be threatened.

DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES

Our legacy, which is what we're defending, is a legacy of honest work and the exercise of independent journalism. Our network's defense is a the defense of the right of every Venezuelan to be informed, and to choose their own source of entertainment.

We respect the President and the Government, but we do not understand their emphasis on acting as an autocratic government.

We call upon everyone to defend the right of every Venezuelan to free information. And we call upon the Government to act with the Rule of Law, guided by good sense by tolerating a wide range of opinions proper of any President who wishes to call him or herself a democrat. This is a defining moment for President Chávez in which he will demonstrate if he is the democratic leader of the XXI century socialism or just another representative of the old autocratic populism.