Authentic journalism is dead. The current crisis in Venezuela has clearly shown the extent to which the corporate media will go in fabricating stories. This last April, while the democratically elected president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, was kidnapped at gun point in an attempted coup, the New York Times reported he had “resigned.”
 
The coup’s leader, Pedro Carmona, immediately attempted to disband the government, its constitution and have pro-Chavez supporters assassinated in an attempt to wipe away the democratic reforms and progress of Chavez’s government. The poor of Venezuela rallied behind the government and Chavez was set free.
 
Venezuelan community journalists have been in the forefront of this crisis, while in the United States the rare glimpses of Venezuela come from the highly paid commercial media elite who have proven fanatically anti-Chavez and dedicated to preserving the corporate monopoly over media.
 
Approximately 80 percent of Venezuelans live near or in poverty and one in four Venezuelan families live in extreme poverty. Years of corrupt politicians and pro-big business policies have eroded social institutions and created an enormous gap in incomes between the rich and poor.  Chavez and his government have won six democratic elections on a progressive platform pledging to fight corruption and to help the poor.
 
Community journalists and activists have continually been targeted and attacked by the anti-Chavez Caracas police. On April 11, journalists of the community television station Catia-TV and others were viscously attacked and many were severely injured. The Caracas Metropolitan police even received training by U.S. agents belonging to the Branton Group (headed by none other then the LAPD’s current commissioner).
 
Some Reporters from both the Los Angeles and New York Times have consistently shown sympathy for anti-Chavez groups and this shows clearly in their reporting. Los Angeles Times reporter T. Christian Miller consistently calls the opposition marchers “demonstrators” but those who support Chavez he labels “thugs.”
 
Chavez has been labeled a “Castro-style-Communist” for wanting agrarian reform, in which urban fallow land would be redistributed to the poor. Recently, New York Times correspondent Fransisco Toro resigned over what he called “conflict of interest concerns” and his “lifestyle bound up with opposition activism.” The Independent News outlet narconews.com has pointed out that foreign correspondents often enroll their children in private schools, befriending the nation’s elite, and rarely venture into the vast poor areas.
 
Community media have captured the hearts and minds of poor Venezuelans.  “Indy” Media has gained worldwide recognition (with such Web sites as www.indymedia.org). In the past corporate media have been the only easily available source for news in Venezuela (much like it is right now in the United States). Chavez’s government has promoted the expansion of community media and alternative viewpoints that have relied upon community volunteers. From this, a conflict has arisen between the media monopolies and their paid reporters with the community journalists and Chavez’s government. But there is now no going back, the increase of community journalism has kindled the political consciousness of the poor.
 
The question remains: Why does big business and the corporate media hate Hugo Chavez and his government so much? If in doubt follow the trail of money.  In February, laws passed for agrarian and oil industry reform will be enacted. This is why the opposition tried so desperately to overthrow him before the new year. The Bush administration, in its preparation for war, does not like what it sees going on in Venezuela (which normally supplies 15percent of the U.S.’s imported oil).
 
After six democratic votes, a continuos anti-Chavez corporate media barrage, a violent coup and years of oppression the community media and poor of Venezuela are resolved to defend the democracy which has finally worked in their favor.
 
Jeb Sprague is a graduate student of history at Cal State Long Beach. He can be contacted at pauseclause@yahoo.com.

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