In Latin America, Crime Pays if You Own a TV Station

Posted by BoRev, BoRev at 6:31 AM on July 12, 2008.

If you haven't noticed, the concept of freedom of expression has expanded exponentially when it comes to the media in those left-wing dictatorships in Latin America that everyone in South Florida loves to hate.

Venezuela refuses to renew the broadcast license of a TV station using the public's airwaves to conspire against a democratically elected government? Violation of freedom of expression! Ecuador seizes a number of TV stations because they're owned by two brothers that are facing embezzlement charges to the tune of $661 million that basically collapsed the country's economy? Violation of freedom of expression! Colombia remains the worst country in Latin America and among the worst in the world to practice journalism? Oh, that's just bad luck. Or the FARC's fault. Or maybe because those journalists were the FARC. Yeah, that sounds right. Move along, no violation of freedom of expression here!

Ugh. The press has been in a tizzy in recent days of Ecaudor's move to seize three television stations owned by two brothers wanted for some serious financial crimes. But the story isn't much of a story, something that even the Chavez-Correa-Morales-hating Economist grudgingly seems to admit when they report that "there was little immediate sign of censorship at the TV stations" and that "the seizures may well be legal." May well be legal? Heck, that's a bit of a wet towel on the whole "Ecuador is violating freedom of expression" meme, now isn't it?

Not if you're Andres Oppenheimer, of course. To him, it's a cleverly hatched coup against freedom of expression, legality be damned! And who better to prove the point than the brother of the two guys accused of massive financial crimes? Yes, Oppenheimer actually quotes him. Because, well, he wouldn't have any vested interest in defending his family, right? This isn't even poor journalism anymore...it's an insult to freedom of expression and those that really practice it.

The lessons are clear, though. If you're a budding anti-government journalist in Venezuela, Ecaudor or Bolivia, just engage in massive crimes against the state and get yourself arrested. You'll have Oppenheimer and the rest of South Florida's finest falling over each other to scream "Violation of freedom of expression!" louder than the next.

Tagged as: hypocrisy, colombia, ecuador, venezuela, chavez, correa, media