I was watching Arduino in his Saturday night news on CNN in Spanish, since there is no solid info we can get from Venezuelan TV. And the only thing I saw was close takes of the chavista and opposition marches. And thus they looked pretty much the same, similar turnout and what not. Well they were not. I cannot fathom why media persists in treating popular support as if it were the same, as if the country were indeed split into two roughly equal halves. It is not.
There is the video below taken by a drone (hence the noise) of the meeting point of the 4 marches today in Caracas. It speaks VOLUMES by itself. I dare any pro Chavez, pro Maduro, or CNN, or BBC or anything to show me a similar turnout recently for a Maduro support rally where NO buses to ferry people were used, where NO booze was given out, where NO breakfast or lunch or cookies were offered, where NO military were asked to attend. Then we can talk again about who has the most enthusiastic support in the country.
And note, I am not even asking media to show that chavismo can do simultaneous support across the country like the opposition did. I will settle for a view like the one below but in the conditions stated. Heck, I will settle for HALF the attendance provided the conditions stated are respected.
What media is doing trying to secure access to "official" sources by not "offending" them is distorting the real news. Maduro certainly has support but he has NO ACTIVE support like the opposition does and the images are there for whomever wants to see them.
This is the quotes from the BBC article: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-26699367
ReplyDeleteBoth opposition and government supporters rallied in Caracas on Saturday
Meanwhile, supporters and opponents of the president staged rival rallies in the capital Caracas on Saturday
That's it...the other links at the bottom of that are pretty much the same thing from Yahoo, CBC, RTE, CSM, and WSJ.
Yes, that's how it's done. Journalism is no longer about presenting the facts, rather how those facts fit into a particular narrative. Many prominent news organizations are now accused of "advocacy journalism." They want an editor to put "context" into a story. It's Orwellian. It's depressing. But, more people are becoming aware as to how it is done. Equalizing crowds, as noted by Daniel above, is just one of many examples. The BBC, mentioned above, now has several blogs dedicated to the manner in which they present news stories from around the world. It's important that they do this. At least someone is watching and commenting.
DeleteIndeed, I frequent most of those sites mainly because the BBC are proving more sinister each day: I do not exaggerate to say that each day there are examples of agenda-setting, blatant bias with issues they favour, omission of facts and often downright lies.
DeleteInteresting how they set the terms of the debate always:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2014/03/140320_venezuela_crisis_oea_panama_az.shtml
"¿Por qué Panamá tiene tanto interés en Venezuela?" is NOT the question they should be asking.
There are very few reporters/editors in the world who will let facts stand in the way of THEIR story. Some you might sway with facts and some will never change.
ReplyDeleteDaniel,
ReplyDeleteLiving in Venezuela, year after year, we forget just how complex the political and social dynamic is here. A few comments I think we need to keep in mind:
1) The international press has just recently woken up to the idea that there is a story here. Until a country becomes international news, the local office is staffed with second-raters in their organizations who are lazy and don't get off their butts much to do much digging. The "vision" of what the story is is determined by the head office, and they send their local reporter to get that story. Now that Venezuela is a big story, they have just recently dispatched their hot-shots. These reporters still have very little time on the ground here, and they arrived with the preconceptions that the world had when they left. It is taking them time to absorb and comprehend reality. Remember that they are trying to be "fair and balanced", so they trying to cover both sides. They don't have enough time here to understand all the context and who is full of shit and who isn't.
2) Because the don't understand the history and context, they arrive assuming that the country is evenly divided, because that is what the election results reported. Even though they have heard of the electoral tricks and manipulations, they are not prepared to comprehend the magnitude of the impact these have had on elections, so they continue to assume that the narrative of a roughly evenly divided country is true. They simply haven't been here long enough for the real truth to percolate through their preconceived notions.
So, how do we deal with that? Well, many of the reports have comments sections. We post detailed comments that call them out on what they are reporting. Start the comments by saying "I am here in Venezuela, and you have this wrong. Here is why....." It will take some more time, but it works.
Yeah yeah yeah ... CNN knows exactly what they are doing.
DeleteDaniel in this post sort-of excuses CNN's balanced reporting by arguing that maybe they are trying to preserve their access. But guess what: CNN did exactly the same thing a decade or so ago when they did not report the atrocities of the Saddam Hussein's regime. Eason Jordan CNN's Cheif News Executive at the time came clean in an article titled: "The News We Kept To Ourselves". link
I am sure the iraqi's really appreciated Turner's effort to stamp out racism and homophobia.
The News We Kept To Ourselves - how does the french saying goes Daniel? Plus ça change .... you finish it.
The critical mass of the news media is leftist. But of course they are for human rights and they are against racism etc etc. But they always favor the leftist governments -as long as those governments pay lip service to all those minority rights. That is the cover of all leftist governments (minority rights, the poor)
Just as I am writing this -Sunday morning- watching Meet The Press, they are highlighting Jimmy Carter's latest book on women, violence etc etc. And Andrea Mitchell is slobbering all over the punk. There you have it.
CNN's founder Ted Turner - a philanthropist and humanitarian - enjoyed having cigars with Fidel whom he considered a friend and thinks Cuba is model of democracy. I am sure the cubans in the street really appreciate Turner's work stamping out racism and homophobia around the world. His world view permeated and continues at CNN to this day. Piers Morgan interviews Oliver Stone or Sean Penn and allows them to say their piece about how great Chavez was and how great Venezuela is doing completely unopposed.
NBC just a couple of weeks ago showed a picture of former Gov. of Alabama George Wallace as an example of racism and guess what, they put an R (for Republican) after his name. Woops... sorry they said afterwards. That the "little" mistake undermined their entire story did not matter.
If Maduro was a conservative the report on CNN of yesterday's marches would have been totally accurate and would have shown the strength of the opposition.
So stop whining Daniel you are a socialist/pacifist/humanitarian and these are your friends. When are you going to learn.
En que canal se ve Fox en espanol? LOL
DeleteRoy, a good overview and helpful recommendations, generally. I take exception, though to your #1, specifically, "the local office is staffed with second-raters in their organizations who are lazy and don't get off their butts much to do much digging."
DeleteAre you saying that the major news organizations have never heard of local stringers? That's a rhetorical question, btw.
Roberto Carlos,
DeleteThe press has always had a liberal left-wing bias. They tend toward the David vs. Goliath narrative, and the party who manages to cast themselves as David get's their sympathy. However, the real story is that of a fascist regime with all the guns on their side being faced down by an unarmed populace in the streets. So, who is David, and who is Goliath here? Once the press figures this out...
Syd,
Thanks. You are right about the stringers. And, no doubt, many of these were suborned or drinking the Kool-aid. But, the past is past. The point is to take advantage of the serious attention Venezuela is now getting.
Thanks Roy for your comments.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes it does have an effect.
Daniel: do you know who was flying the drone? the students? "home"-made?
ReplyDeleteIf so, it must infuriate the regime who have of course made Caracas a no helicopter fly zone (except their own).
Mike
On youtube there is a VP logo so I suppose that it is people from VP that flew a drone or balloon or something. remember that this particular march was convoked by Lopez to free all political prisoners so it was a VP organized event. Tomorrow when they throw Muchacho into jail we will have a PJ event, and so on......
DeleteThanks.
DeleteMike
Yes, I watched the "news" as well and was really angered (pissed) by the so-called "neutrality" they always try to show. Suppose it was a price to pay in order to avoid being expelled from Venezuela by Maduro. Something is better than nothing, let's see the glass half full. Thank god there's Twitter, Whatsupp and so on to show us instantly what really is going on. Good suggestion from Roy. People thank me for informing of their situation in Twitter, and some comment: You don't have a clue what it's like over here... People are starting to realize but it needs a little more help from insiders. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me the best way to get your message out there would be to inundate the comment sections of every news article you read with a coherent and persuasive rebuttal. Be careful not to sound like you are just mad, people will ignore you.
ReplyDeleteInterested readers will read the comment section and be swayed by the most powerful and consistent message, be it truth or lie.
No offence, but the blogs are just "preaching to the choir". CNN has millions of readers new to the subject. You need to ride their coattails and get the truth out.
Breathtaking video.
ReplyDeleteI think that people don't like change. Leftists, like rightists are used to one type of ideology and one way of defining it.
It is very easy to be right vs. Left or vise versa. What is hard is to be tolerant of others belief system or ideology or politics. There is no right way because we are free thinking humans with free will and resist to be grouped in prefect little packages defined by someone else's views, experiences, or up bringing.
ReplyDeleteIn Venezuela the fuse is lit. When it finally explodes very few major media will be there. I am sure CNN is positioning itself to be recording while it happens. Unfortunately major media today has to be about business and politics for the masses.
Thank God for (and Al Gore just kidding Carlos) the Internet where we can freely find free thinking blogs like this.
God Bless all the Freedom fighters of the World. I mis panas en Venezuela! La lucha sige!
Viva Venezuela!
JBLS
Stuart
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you when it comes to extremes,the more moderate factions of the political spectrum, which are the majority in the US are not ideological and do not have the strong preconceived blinding ideas about things as those who are often more vocal and have bought their ways into publication.
This is a plague beyond the confines of Venezuela that we must fight,and unfortunately it is hard to fight with the press being largely Liberal and biased.I would say the same if the press were largely Tea Party.It is a pity that these social issues that would be far better resolved in more organic and honest ways than amidst the bowels of power hungry politicians and government decrees,could not be solved by allowing the people's consciousness to evolve through more loving and less dictatorial means.Then it would be more real.
Political correctness dominates truth.At some point it is becoming uncouth to even point out a wrong in answer in Mathematics.....this is evil....everything is politicized , which means it is unauthentic and dictatorial, because those who express their true feelings are demonized.
I don't want to dictate your feelings, or your thoughts, though my wish is that both yours and mine be as loving as possible.
firepigette
You are correct Firepigette. I probably should have placed fanatical before rightists and leftists. As far as news media in the states, though, I believe that there is a balance between left and right views, except for maybe on the radio airwaves.
DeleteStuart
DeleteThe problem is that the " Neutral" version of CNN tends more towards the left at least in the case of Venezuela.
There is much more International coverage by CNN whereas Fox News is preoccupied with domestic politics like Obamcare.....and CNN tends more towards the left which is why it reports that Venezuela is divided.In its desire to be neutral it ends up defending the leftist version more than what in truth should be denounced.
I think there is a convenient definition of neutrality that is quite nefasto.
firepigette
"Journalists should not be bound by tenets of neutrality, but by tenets of objectivity. If those overlap, that’s great, it makes a reporter’s job that much easier and less controversial. But if the interests of objectivity and neutrality diverge, a journalist’s loyalty lies with the truth, not with the political or rhetorical center." Common Dreams
DeleteFirepigette, yes, where as the media in the States does attack each other on the most ridiculous things, there is little reporting, of the truth, regarding Venezuela. But Biden picked up the mantle, and I'm hoping that the administration follows through. Since the interests of democratic Venezuelans collides with similar US interests, we should soon see a more enlighted and investigative US press.
DeleteI sure hope you are right
Deletefirepigette
This blog is being highlighted on Newsbusters:
ReplyDeletehttp://newsbusters.org/blogs/pj-gladnick/2014/03/23/drone-camera-corrects-cnn-espa-ol-report-caracas-demonstrations#disqus_thread
Everyone can continue to talk about media, left, right, lack of basics necessities or whatever they might believe is the cause of this disaster in their opinion. At the end of the day until the domination of drug exportation is settled or confronted nothing will change! Unfortunately the other problem is trying to end this with marches, peaceful protests, guarimbas, elections, ect... C'mon if you are going to fight violent people then you need to fight fire with fire! I know most people are going to say this not the democratic way but neither are the people that are ruining this beautiful word. If you continue down this path then sadly enough we know the outcome. Cuba was thought to last only a few years throughout their time of protesting and ask all the political prisoners and people that suffered the last fifty plus years how that worked out for them... Not to be a pessimist but the time is now and it has to be done in a fashion that nobody wants but we all no this is the only way out!!!
ReplyDeleteNFG
OMG....Thank you Captain Obvious..:)....This blog is mostly best wishes. .quoting history. ..Three dollar words ..wringing hands. .sorry everyone. ..but till the guns change directions...not one thing will change. .Best....I would also like to add...a good friend of mine who lives in a very "Toni".Part of Caracas is confused why I would hesitate to visit..everything is great down here he says..ignore all the politics. .He seems to have no problems at all...Curious
ReplyDeleteSo don't hesitate Michael, go! You can meet up with some interesting Cuban military too. And here's a ten dollar word for you-assholism.
DeleteBut it is true! I also know people that tell me that everything is chevere and that there are problems in some areas but that they go to work as usual and the kids are in scholl as usual... and these are not chavistas, no... They are the ni-ni, the indiferents, the un-caring, the ones that sickness, hunger or crime has not touch yet, the ones that have enough money to survive for now and that they feel that if things get worse they have a way out of the country... I will say no more because I have no kind words to describe these people and their petty lives.
ReplyDeleteAnother problem is that local news is generated in Spanish, there are not too many english speaking reporters in Venezuela. Here is one article of the beating done to Marvinia Jimenez in La Isabelica, Valencia, in 2-Mar-14, recently translated to english: http://caracaschronicles.com/2014/03/23/all-because-of-a-broken-fingernail/
ReplyDeleteNot as expansive but there's El Universal in English too:
Deletehttp://www.eluniversal.com/english/
Happy reading.....
Thank you stewart..:) ..I have had the opportunity to look more than one Cuban soldier in the eyes. .in Havana...not on a screen in my flat somewhere..:)..you should make an effort to visit Venezuela yourself. .it's great ..I'm hoping for some sort of normalcy. .whatever the outcome..Best
ReplyDeleteNo soap for you!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5HL4nxNzSk
BSf down 43% from the high now. Why?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure its related to tax time, and Sicad 2, so for the short term, its expected to go down... now i hear that sicad 2 allows private companies to sell USD to get the maximum amount of Bsf legally... I was wondering how serious is the government about allowing private firms go through sicad 2?
ReplyDeleteNobody is fool enough to go an buy bolivares unless they have to so absolutely, like for taxes as you point out. which explain why black market is down as it is down every year around this time. As I put in a comment a few posts ago, just wait to see what the black market rate is in June......
Deletehttp://time.com/36561/disney-world-among-casualties-of-u-s-venezuela-spat/
DeleteI simply responding to Anonymous asking why Bsf was down 43%... nevertheless as Daniel D. mentioned in an earlier comment, the price for dollars in the unmentionable rate is back to where it was going to be, someone has been selling a lot of Bolivares in the last 2 days... considering how fast it jumped up....
DeleteDaniel,your article on the drone pictures of the demonstration received a notice in Newsbusters: Drone Camera Corrects CNN Español Report on Caracas Demonstrations
ReplyDeleteAs Daniel Duquenal of Venezuela News and Views complained, the CNN en Español report by Guillermo Arduino gave only closeup shots of competing Chavista and opposition demonstrations. However, the drone eye in the sky revealed the vast panoply of the opposition demonstration that seemed to number in the hundreds of thousands.
While CNN and the NYT are, to put it charitably, clueless- at least one foreign entity caught it.
And from there it went to La Patilla through a lousy translation whereas I would have been glad to oblige....
DeleteDaniel, given how CNN has misreported or non-reported the recent protests in Venezuela, you might be interested in an example of CNN's performance stateside: MY USA TODAY COLUMN Takes CNN To Task Over Its Leland Yee Non-Coverage.
ReplyDelete