Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) started broadcasting on November 15, 1953. It was the third television network to begin operations in Venezuela. Until its shutdown, It was also de the oldest one—after the disappearance of its predecessors, Televisora Nacional (channel 5) and Televisa (channel 4). RCTV was also the first network to broadcast a live show, and the first one to broadcast the first international news report live and in color. In 1954, the first Venezuelan soap opera, Camay, was broadcasted by RCTV. Since then, soap operas have been an important part of RCTV programming as much as it has been a part of Venezuelan culture. RCTV’s programming gained so much popularity that its soap operas were even sold to international networks.
RCTV played an important role in Venezuelan pop-culture. From the airing of Venezuela’s first-ever television soap opera, to the recent hit comedy show Radio Rochela, RCTV’s programming always interpreted, reflected, and depicted the customs of contemporary Venezuela and was central to that nation’s idiosyncratic cultural framework. This was evidenced by the network’s high ratings.
Since its founding, RCTV was frequently at loggerheads with government agencies and the Venezuelan presidency. RCTV’s independence is illustrated by how many presidents in Venezuela have clashed with the network and its executives in the past over criticism of government inefficiency and corruption. RCTV’s criticism of the Hugo Chávez government was consistent with the network’s tradition.
The current government repeatedly condemned RCTV for representing the interests of what the president calls the "Venezuelan oligarchy." Government officials often state that RCTV’s coverage after the forced resignation of President Chávez (and the coup that followed) was biased and not supportive of the president. RCTV’s editorial line was highly critical of the administration and they frequently caricatured the government. In 2004, RCTV gave editorial support and provided broad coverage of internationally-monitored efforts to remove the president from office through a constitutional recall referendum. In the 2006 presidential election, RCTV was often perceived as supporting the opposition candidate.
Within months of taking office, the Venezuelan president started charging against the Venezuelan media when it critiqued his administration or opposed his re-election. RCTV was no exception. The government has repeatedly threatened the media—including threatening the use of military force—if it does not moderate, soften, or change its coverage. In the case of RCTV, the president had been threatening various forms of censorship since 2002, including removing the concession, shutting down the station, and issuing a direct decree to eliminate the channel. On may 27 2007, in a legally controversial move, the Venezuelan government finally denied the renewal of RCTV’s public broadcasting concession. At midnight that day, RCTV was taken off public airwaves and ceased broadcasting while military forces occupied the installations and took away all their equipment. Venezuela’s Supreme Court granted the use of RCTV’s equipment to a new state network and did not set any compensation in return.
On July 16 2007, RCTV started broadcasting through cable and satellite service providers, as RCTV International (RCTV-I). Because of the economic cost of being taken off public airwaves, RCTV had to lay off around 1,700 of its 3,000 employees. Notwithstanding all of the obstacles posed by the government, RCTV regained an audience as a TV station by subscription.
DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this site is to advocate for freedom of expression. HRF believes that pluralism in media is essential to the survival of a free society. The Human Rights Foundation takes no position whatsoever on the content of RCTV programming, its political opinions or its affiliations.
Other civil society, NGO, and nonprofit groups that oppose the shutdown of RCTV include:
