The Venezuelan subscription TV association reported Thursday that it would request a meeting with government authorities to voice disagreement with a reform intended to impose compulsory joint broadcasting of President Chávez' addresses to the nation.

Mario Seijas, the chair of the Venezuelan Subscription Television Chamber (Cavetesu), told reporters that the copyright law prevents these TV stations from making any changes on programming.

For this reason, there is no possibility of cutting the programming in order to join compulsory broadcasting, he maintained.

Seijas expects to explain this matter during the meetings requested to the authorities of the Ministry of Communication and Information, the Ministry of Telecommunications and the National Telecommunications Council (Conatel), Efe reported.

Out of the 150 member channels of the association, almost a half is operated and produced abroad. In addition, "there is no technological way to make them engage in joint broadcasting."