Venezuela's National Assembly to regulate cable TV

The Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) is to make a law for the regulation of subscription television services, informed the President of the People's Power and Media Committee of the AN, Darío Vivas, deputy for the ruling party United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

The draft law is focused on three aspects: "The contractual relation between the user and the subscription television provider; the programs broadcasted; and the prioritization of national TV programs in the subscription TV channels." Additionally, the explanatory notes of the draft law highlighted "the enforcement of cultural information, intended to correct communicational imbalances."

"We want our national audiovisual industry to be present in the program schedule (of cable TV)," asserted Blanca Eekhout, pro-government deputy in charge of preparing the draft.

Eekhout also informed that she would conduct an enquiry into the private media coverage of the recent presidential electoral campaign, since, according to the pro-government ruling majority of the Parliament, "some private media fostered violence and aggressions by constantly discrediting the National Electoral Council (CNE)."