Published on Thursday, November 15, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
US Media Bias and Recent Student Violence in Venezuelaby JoJo Farrell
Why is it that the U.S. media condemns Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez for limiting freedom of press while in the same breath self-censoring their Venezuelan news coverage to such an extent that it completely distorts the story? This has been the case ever since Chávez came to office, but last week, after the incidents at the Central Venezuelan University, the asymmetries once again were violently thrust to the surface.
Next month’s controversial constitutional reform has again sent Venezuelans into the streets and into headlines around the world. President Hugo Chávez has likened the current political climate to the spring of 2002, which culminated in a short-lived coup d’état ousting Chávez for 2 days. Pro- and anti-government sides have each launched vicious attacks on one another. The polarized Venezuelan media coverage has created a confused and divided environment in which it is common to see stories written with substantial pieces left out. The international media is never far from the sidelines. Last week, in standard fashion, nearly every major US newspaper momentarily forgot their commitment to an independent press, and omitted crucial facts, martyring the Venezuelan opposition student movement, and acting as a de facto mouthpiece for the opposition.
Sean McCormick, spokesperson for the US state Department, had this to say on the morning of November 8th: “These people are just expressing themselves in a peaceful manner. They’ve had a view contrary to the views held by the government, but it was a peaceful protest, as far as I’ve been able to determine from the news reports.”
An analysis of 10 major U.S. media outlets shows very consistent reporting of the story. Seven of the 10 reprinted the same AP story. Only the Washington Post, however briefly, brings to light that there are even two different sides. Most media outlets reported that following peaceful protests in downtown Caracas, masked Chavista-gunman attacked anti-government supporters on the campus of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV). Photos of the masked gunman have accompanied most of these articles lending themselves as powerful images of violence against peaceful protestors.
The Miami Herald reported photographers for The Associated Press saw at least four gunmen - their faces covered by ski masks or T-shirts - firing handguns at the anti- Chávez crowd at the UCV. Terrified students ran through the campus as ambulances arrived. The New York Times on Nov. 7th led with the following: “Masked gunmen shot into a group of students on Wednesday at this country as most prestigious university. The students were returning from a march here protesting changes to the Constitution proposed by President Hugo Chávez that could allow him to remain in power indefinitely.” The following day, the Times printed a quote from one of the student leaders likening their tactics to those of Gandhi.
Unfortunately, these reports have left out an important chunk of the story. After last Wednesday’s peaceful protest, many students headed back to UCV campus. Here is where things get complicated. According to Chávez supporters, eyewitnesses, and videotape recorded by the community TV station, Catia TV, opposition students, mainly from neighboring privates Universities, chased down a group of pro- Chávez students putting up signs in favor of the reform. The pro-Chávez group found refuge in the faculty of Social Work, which is known to be a Chávez friendly zone, and where it was also reported that another group of pro-Chávez students were meeting. The opposition students surrounded the faculty, armed with weapons, rocks, and gas masks shouting, “We will lynch you all.” According to reports, opposition students fired weapons, threw rocks at the students inside the building, and lit fire to the entrance. Chávez supporters present that day affirm that the motorcyclists televised to the world as sinister gunmen, arrived on the scene as part of a rescue mission to help their companions trapped inside the building by the rabid opposition outside. They argue that this was necessary because the Venezuelan army or police force are, by law, not allowed to enter the grounds of the University. To this day, the entire truth is not known about the events at the UCV last Wednesday, but the inability of the international press to report an unbiased account calls into question their journalist integrity. The consequences of this could lead to further violence in Venezuela. .....(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/15/5247/
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
