Venezuela Court Approves Chavez’s TV Takeover

From Chavez’s fans at BBC NEWS:

An ice-cream vendor walks past women taking part in a march to support Radio Caracas in Caracas.

Venezuela court orders TV seizure

By James Ingham

Venezuela’s top court has allowed the government to take control of private TV transmitters as it prepares to replace commercial with state-run TV.

Radio Caracas Television, a station critical of the government, is being forced to stop broadcasting on its public frequency.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to protest against the decision this weekend.

Government supporters are planning a separate show of strength.

The court’s decision will allow the Venezuelan government to demand that RCTV hands over its network of transmission sites the moment it comes off air…

Protesters say President Hugo Chavez is limiting freedom of expression and taking the country down the path of dictatorship.

But the president maintains he has the right to silence a channel that he says actively tries to undermine his government…

I think Mr. Chavez cited the “fairness doctrine.”

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