First official announcements regarding the possible amendment of the current status of the broadcast media, the Global Media Monitoring of Venezuela believes it necessary to raise public opinion as follows:
1 .- The Centre must recall that radio waves are World Heritage, administered by each state, therefore, no individual can own more often, because only has the right to enjoy a concession by the State. The use of radio waves is for the nation as a whole and for the State to take administrative measures in accordance with established legal frameworks.
2 .- In the case of Venezuela, is not only appropriate but necessary to democratize the use of the public good, through the reallocation of frequencies and licenses, which allow an equitable distribution between the state sector, private and public space. It is necessary to establish a monitoring of its use through a regulatory framework that ensures the democratic use of them.
3 .- The private media sector for profit, as the state sector should each get one-third of the existing frequency. The remaining third must be accorded the so-called public space, consisting of university sectors, educational, cultural, community, trade unions, indigenous, urban as well as groups organized to ensure the use of those means intended as a public service. The ultimate goal of democratization is to involve all citizens.
The Centre warns that today there are many radio and some television stations classified as "community" or are not representing the voice of communities.
4 .- The granting of licenses for use spectrum in all its forms, made during the "Fourth Republic", was almost exclusively for profit. With socio-political changes of the last 10 years, that original purpose, in most cases, is added and sometimes almost exclusively, a political objective in certain circumstances subversive characteristics assumed power constitutionally established . For that reason, the Centre believes that it is not sufficient to perform a new redistribution of the Union 's democratic effectively licenses. It should be remembered that the cartelization of the Venezuelan private media is based less on the transmission system (Networks) and unequivocal message dissemination. Hence the need to establish a regulatory framework must in no case should undermine freedom of expression, first considered as the absolute value in a democratic system.
5 .- The Centre recommends that the new legal frameworks, to take into account domestic production of content must be independent to the promotion of the state, according to a national plan to ensure its plurality and diversity. Also, a new legal framework should ensure full independence called public sector means not only of the big business sector but also the public sector.
6 .- In developing the regulatory framework for the operation of the broadcast media should be widely debated by journalists, businessmen, parliamentarians, academics, social movements and users is necessary to start from existing legal norms: Constitution National Penal Code and Ethical Standards for journalists. Stelling Maryclen
General Coordinator
