Monitor Radio shut down in Mexico: Where's the Outrage?

[rjones2818]

This was posted as a diary at DailyKos. Here's the original link: www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/12/91426/1992

In an interesting article www.counterpunch.com/liebertz07112007.html posted at www.counterpunch.com , Scott Liebertz tells us that Monitor Radio has been shut down in Mexico.

"Early Sunday afternoon, a giant crowd dressed largely in yellow gathered in the largest plaza of the capital city of a Latin American country to defend freedom of expression and denounce the closing of a media outlet that has operated for decades. Another opposition march in Venezuela to protest the shut down of RCTV? No, this time the angry protestors weren't in the heart of Caracas but in the famous Zocalo of Mexico City. Thousands of Mexicans gathered to protest the closing of Radio Monitor, home to the popular newscasts of Jose Gutierrez Vivo."

Now it might be good to go back and remember the brewhaha over the non-renewal of the license of RCTV in Venezuela. Here are a few links to diaries which appeared on DailyKos about the issue:

www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/27/23539/8699 Chavez and RCTV with Poll

www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/4/27/20830/6973 Deterring Democracy in Venezuela

www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/6/6/124129/9181 The Little Revolution that Couldn't

www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/6/1/23852/24219 Freedom of the Press, the Internet, and Venezuela

Why is this important? For us in the US, perhaps it isn't. After all, Felipe Calderon is a friend of the US administration, while Hugo Chavez isn't. We should support our friends, shouldn't we?

"Perhaps Radio Monitor is simply the victim of impartial market forces, but for the supporters gathered in the Zocalo, this was a naked act of censorship and aggression. "Radio Monitor, No One Is Going to Silence You!" read one banner. Another sign proclaimed, "Enough is Enough You Spurious President! Stop Repressing the Information Media that Actually Tells the Truth." One man addressed the crowd by saying, "Once again our dignity is in danger. The owners and masters of society want to return to the days when they repressed the truth." Another man that I interviewed, Ruben Gutierrez Gutierrez, was quite despondent. When I asked him if there was any hope that Radio Monitor would return he replied, "Who knows, because the people that did this have all the power. First they stole an election and now they are closing a radio station without reason and without warning." Former Mexico City Mayor Obrador has also strongly criticized the situation claiming, "This is simply an act of aggression against freedom of expression, which they have been undermining since the days of Fox this is characteristic of the right, they don't want liberty, they just want discourse with one voice."<4>"

So, one country manages to shut down a dissenting radio station (apparently by witholding monies due to the tune of over $20 million) and we don't hear a peep, vs a country that uses a legal move in not renewing a license to broadcast (remembering that RCTV appears to have been involved www.video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144 in the abortive coup against President Chavez). The outcry against RCTV was supported by the cry of shutting down an opposition voice, which was considered by many to be a silencing of free speech. What is the difference with Monitor Radio in Mexico? Obviously the mechanisms to do so were different, but the results are the same. Another opposition voice to a country's government is shut down all the same.

Where's the outrage?

[unpossibles]

1. I'm sure the Chavez haters will ...um...

do nothing.

[msongs]

2. "Perhaps Radio Monitor is simply the victim of impartial market forces.."

or perhaps it was a nefarious plot. well why not get the facts correctly before launching your outrage?

Msongs
www.msongs.com

[rjones2818]

3. Gee, Maybe I Read the Original Article!

It is the basis of the post.

:)

[Judi Lynn]

4. It was completely ignored then, and continues to be ignored that Peru's President, Alan Garcia

did not renew the licenses for two television stations, and three radio stations in April of 2007.

Odd, isn't it?

I'm quite certain these stations never participated in a coup against the government, either, nor in admonishing the people of Peru to overthrow their government.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Forgot to thank you, rjones2818, for sharing this information here.

It's a story which should be watched for future developements, and more stories. Of course it's an easy bet that very little attention will be paid to it here, since Canderón WAS the man _Bush wanted, desperately, to take the place of the puppet Vicente Fox.

By the way, Dick Morris helped with Canderón's campaign, for anyone's information who didn't know. It was easy to recognize a sudden turn to vicious attacks on A.M.L.O., claiming he was close to Chavez, then making the leap to assertions he would wreck Mexico's economy, and topping it all off with accusations he was a little unstable, mentally.

Thanks, again, and welcome to D.U. :hi: :hi: :hi:

[Gold Metal Flake]

6. Kick

:kick:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

7. .