Globovisión

History

On December 1, 1994, Luis Teófilo Núñez Arismendi, Guillermo Zuloaga Núñez, Nelson Mezerhane Gosen, and Alberto Federico Ravell Arreaza, inaugurated Globovisión, channel 33, the first 24-hour news network in Venezuela to broadcast over-the-air. Currently, Globovisión is broadcast over the air in Caracas, Aragua, Carabobo and Zulia. Globovisión's programming is also carried by 95 percent of the nation's cable systems. In February 17, 2010,Ravell,general director of the channel, was dismissed from his post by board of directors of Globovision due to "differences with its partners". Ravell said he had to " sacrifice himself leaving office for the channel wasn't sold and falls into the hands of Government of Hugo Chavez".

In 2013, Globovisión was sold to an economist and businessman with connections to the Venezuelan government, Juan Domingo Cordero, who also runs the insurance company La Vitalicia. Globovision, as the only and pioneer informative and opinion television channel in Venezuela, with a signal already known in the U.S. and many Latin American countries, has accomplished its social responsibility of informing, objectively and impartially, facts and events happening in Venezuela and the world. “Our mission, criticized by many, but applauded by our great audience, has helped us to prove that, in spite of adversities, sanctions and threats, we are still standing, with a professional and technical team of invaluable working mystic, that knows how to fulfill their duty, that looks for the news without caring about conditions and some times even putting their lives at risk.”

International

Overseas, Globovisión has affiliations with CNN en Español, RCN, Canal N, Panamericana Televisión, Canal Sur, Canal 13, Todo Noticias, Monte Carlo Televisión, Canal 4, Canal 8, and Ecuavisa.

Current shows

Most of the shows seen on Globovisión are national productions. They include:

Relationship with Venezuelan government

Globovision has been criticized by Chávez's government, where they accuse this channel of manipulating information, conspiracy, giving air time to the opposition (but not to the government), and racism. According to the government, Globovision, during the de facto government of Pedro Carmona Estanga, refused to show pro-Chávez demonstrations demanding the resignation of Carmona or the looting that occurred on April 12 and 13, 2002.

Globovision is able to broadcast outside of Venezuela, and does so through satellite television. Microwave equipment, which allows for live transmissions, has been seized by the Government.

In May 2007, President Chávez claimed during a speech that Globovision had been actively encouraging civil unrest in Venezuela, as well as his assassination. His claim on the latter was based on broadcast footage of the attempted murder of Pope John Paul II (which was part of a series of pictures showing RCTV's historical news coverage) in combination with a song titled "Esto no termina aquí" ("This does not end here"). The Venezuelan Government filed a complaint against Globovision with the Attorney General Office on this matter. Venezuelan students marched in the streets to protest the closure of RCTV and threats to Globovision. Globovision's director, Alberto Ravell, said, "We are not going to change our editorial line that we are not afraid of the threats from this government."

In August 2009, a small group of militant members of a pro-Chávez party, the United for Venezuela Party (UPV), attacked the headquarters of Globovisión. They fired tear gas into the compound and clashed with police. On 4 August the government arrested the attackers. However, no one was charged and those arrested were released.

In July 2010 the Venezuelan government acquired a 25.8% stake in Globovisión, through its nationalization of Banco Federal, after the latter had failed to meet minimum reserve requirements and investment quotas. Chavez announced that the stake gave the government the right to a place on Globovisión's Board of Directors. In addition, the government said it might acquire the 20% stake of Globovisión co-founder Luis Nuñez, as he had died in 2007, and the law did not permit inheritance of media concessions. Globovisión clarified that board members had to be approved by 55% of the company's shareholders. In information published through Wikileaks from the United States Embassy in Venezuela, after "60 allegations" against Globovisión in Venezuelan court, the Venezuelan government pressured a partner, banker Nelson Mezerhane, to buy all the shares of Globovisión in order to fire Ravell.

After the 2013 sale of Globovisión to Juan Domingo Cordero, Globovisión's managerial staff stated that the editorial line would be changed and would be forced to move to the "centre".

Investigation

In 2009, Venezuela's telecommunications regulator launched four different investigations into Globovisión. Reporting about an earthquake before an official report later made on the official government channel and not paying $2.3 million tax for giving free airtime to anti-government groups during the 2002 oil strike were two of the accusations in the investigations. Chávez demanded sanctions against Globovisión, calling station director Alberto Federico Ravell "a crazy man with a cannon". This action was criticized by two officials who monitor freedom of speech, Frank La Rue of the United Nations and Catalina Botero of the OAS.

On March 25, 2010, network owner Guillermo Zuloaga was briefly arrested, then released pending investigation, by Venezuelan military intelligence. The country's Attorney General Luisa Ortega Diaz stated that the arrest was for speech by Zuloaga that President Hugo Chávez deemed false and "offensive."

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Human Rights Foundation, the Inter American Press Association, the International Press Institute, the United States Department of State, Reporters without Borders, representatives of the Catholic Church, and others have protested the investigation and Chavez's infringement on press freedom in Venezuela.