The PBS (Petroleum Broadcasting System) Attack On Hugo Chavez

[Better Believe It]

November 25, 2008

The Petroleum Broadcasting System
PBS Reports for Big Oil on Venezuela
By PATRICK IRELAN

On Tuesday evening, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) will carry a 90-minute review of the presidency of Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez. As the show progresses, it quickly becomes apparent to the viewer why critics often refer to PBS as the “Petroleum Broadcasting System.” Venezuela has huge oil reserves. Big Oil provides much of the funding for PBS programs. And it would not be wise to offend this source of cash, regardless of how greedy and despicable the oil barons might be.

Bikel, Big Oil, foreign and domestic enemies, et al. don’t like Aló Presidente. Chávez doesn’t obey the normal rules for presidential appearances. He answers questions phoned in by citizens. He sings. He improvises. He talks a long time. He rides a tractor on a grain farm. He rides a horse on a cattle farm. He walks down deserted Sunday streets in Caracas with the mayor and other officials, discussing the problem of street crime. Wouldn’t it be better if he walked up to a podium like George Bush and said “nucular”?

One of the show’s guests states that Chávez had once said that he wanted to get out of the International Monetary Fund, but someone advised him on that occasion that Venezuela lacked the money to get out, and Chávez never talked about it again. Actually, Venezuela withdrew from both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in the second and third quarters of 2007, paying off all debts to both of those grasping arms of the Washington Consensus. (Ven-Global News, 9/30/2008)

The program inevitably starts crawling around inside the head of Hugo Chávez. This is often a waste of time for psychiatrists and always a failure for amateurs. While engaged in this nonsense, Bikel and Company misses one of the most obvious things about the man, the color of his skin. The president of Venezuela is a mestizo, unlike any other president in the country’s history. The oligarchy that has ruled until now is mostly as white as the sickly face of Pedro Carmona on the day when he learned that his presidency would be the shortest in history.

Chávez wants nothing more than a mixed economy in which the profits from huge industries are used to benefit all citizens, not just the white descendants of European conquerors. The Chávez government pays the owners for any industries it nationalizes. And it has no interest in the Mom and Pop café down the street. Frontline won’t tell you any of this.

Please read the entire article at:

http://www.counterpunch.org/irelan11252008.html

[malaise]

1. I started watching a while ago but

it's deteriorating by the minute. Next.

[Steepler0t]

2. I was pretty dissapointed with Frontline

Now that I watched it again it seems quite biased imo.
Typical.

[Gabi Hayes]

4. amen....read the comments at the PBS site. they sound similar to those here, running the gamut:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hugochavez/talk/

Dear FRONTLINE,

I have many reservations about Chavez. I saw the Human Rights Watch report and I did agree with some parts of the program -- but clearly your documentary was not meant to be an objective assessment of his tenure. I hope you will at least admit that much.

There are repeated references to Chavez criticism of the US and poor relations with the US -- but I don't believe the neoliberal agenda of US foreign policy in Latin America was mentioned even a single time -- nor was the long history of US meddling in Latin American affairs. This is the substance of the criticism from Latin American leaders who are at odds with US policy in the region -- virtually nowhere to be found.

Quite tellingly, there was also no serious examination of the US role in the 2002 coup -- a critical issue for Venezuela US relations -- other than a comment about "rumors" to that effect. Lawyer Eva Golinger wrote two detailed books on the subject -- but never appears on the program even a single time. Instead, you spend more time on Chavez's exchange with a Guardian reporter on the Chavez tv show -- or play excerpts of Chavez singing songs.

Another problem is that we hear only about a few economic projects that failed (and of course, we should hear about that) -- and nothing about the improved economic prospects there with the increase in GDP and decrease in unemployment and poverty.

http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/venezuela_2007_07.pdf

Why didn't we hear about these figures -- did it not fit into your narrative? Finally, you ignored numerous experts like Richard Gott, Nikolas Kozloff, Gregory Wilpert (who provides a systematic overview of Chavez's policies and performance), Mark Weisbrot (another expert on the economy), and Bart Jones. And instead rely primarily on former opposition candidates, right wing publications like the the economist, and Jon Lee Anderson who's critique is in line with the almost exclusively negative US reporting -- at least you didn't consult Jackson Diehl from the Post. (And all the links to interviews on the PBS site are critics). Some of the supporters in the barrios are portrayed as 'uneducated' no-nothings and since you primarily rely on critics for expert analysis -- this also has to be questioned.

Of course, you are entitled to your point of view just like I am -- but I was hoping to see something different than the caricature of Chavez in much of the US media -- and was disappointed to a large degree. This documentary largely followed in that narrative.

[Feron]

3. I thought it was a good show.

It pointed out that Chavez brought the issue of poverty to the forefront. However the efficacy of his reforms are questionable.

In addition, Chavez has the real potential to be another dictatorial cult of personality.

As with anything, the truth often lies in the middle.