RCTV

Not to be confused with RCTI, RPTV (TV channel), or RTV (Indonesian TV network).
Radio Caracas Televisión
CountryVenezuela
HeadquartersCaracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela
Programming
Language(s)Spanish
Ownership
OwnerEmpresas 1BC
ParentRadio Caracas Televisión RCTV, C.A.
Key peopleMarcel Granier
Eladio Lárez (Pres., RCTV)
History
Launched15 November 1953; 70 years ago (15 November 1953) (as a terrestrial network)
16 July 2007; 17 years ago (16 July 2007) (as a subscription network)
5 July 2020; 4 years ago (5 July 2020) (as an over-the-top streaming service)
FounderWilliam H. Phelps Jr.
Closed27 May 2007; 17 years ago (27 May 2007)[1] (as a terrestrial network)
24 January 2010; 14 years ago (24 January 2010)[2] (as a subscription network)
Links
Websitewww.rctvinternational.com

Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV and sometimes referred to as the Canal de Bárcenas) is a Venezuelan over-the-top streaming service and formerly a free-to-air television network headquartered in the Caracas neighborhood of Quinta Crespo and owned by Empresas 1BC. Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) was inaugurated on 15 November 1953 by William H. Phelps, Jr..

Its radio counterpart was Radio Caracas Radio.[3]

On 27 May 2007, president Hugo Chávez decided to shut down the channel by refusing to renew their broadcast concession, accusing the channel of being involved in the 2002 coup d'état in Venezuela, which briefly overthrew his government.[4][5] The Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) upheld the National Commission of Telecommunications (CONATEL) decision. RCTV continued to broadcast via pay television on RCTV Internacional. In January 2010, RCTV was sanctioned with temporary closure.[6] It rejected the Venezuelan media regulator's finding that it was a domestic media provider.

On 7 September 2015, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the refusal to renew the concession was an "indirect restriction on the exercise of freedom of expression [...] aimed at impeding the communication and circulation of ideas and opinions", that the government violated the right to due process and that it must restore the concession for RCTV. The Venezuelan government has ignored the ruling.[7]

In 2010, the Council on Foreign Relations described RCTV as "the most important independent television station in Venezuela".[8]

  1. ^ PÉREZ, KARLA (2017-05-27). "Video muestra los últimos minutos antes del cierre de RCTV". El Nacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  2. ^ ABC. "Chávez cierra Radio Caracas TV y otros 4 canales internacionles - Internacional_Iberoamerica - Internacional - ABC.es". ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  3. ^ "Momentos Inolvidables" (in Spanish). El Nacional. 2002-08-03. Archived from the original on May 17, 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
  4. ^ "Hugo Chavez Versus RCTV". The Los Angeles Times. May 30, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-06-01. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
  5. ^ "Easy to See the Speck in the Other's Eye". Inter Press Service. May 30, 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  6. ^ ABC. "Chávez cierra Radio Caracas TV y otros 4 canales internacionles - Internacional_Iberoamerica - Internacional - ABC.es". ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Hirst, Joel D. "The Bolivarian Alliance and the Hugo Chavez Propaganda Machine". Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2016.