From CNN International:
CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN) -- Radio Caracas Television, the station silenced by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, has found a way to continue its daily broadcasts -- on YouTube, the popular video Web site.
Although the station is officially off the air, CNN's Harris Whitbeck said its news department continues to operate on reduced staffing, and the three daily hour-long installments of the newscast "El Observador" are uploaded onto YouTube by RCTV's Web department.
I suppose this is a backslap to the community, and for being a part of the beginning of something that is revolutionizing world politics - the internet. Where freedom of expression does not exist, there are blogs. Where freedom of the press is disabled, there is YouTube! Where a small-town library with a small budget is limited, if they've got internet access - then their patrons have access to a broad spectrum of knowledge and ideas, online, in a community with no borders, no dictators, and no big brothers - as long as we keep it that way.
Ben Franklin gave us a republic, if we could keep it. Now we've also got the internet.
I'll just leave this important news to you with a quote from Gore's new book. I will add that I am one of the Gore-wishers, but completely understand his uneasiness with getting in again. The race is rugged, raw, often unfair, but in the end, of course vitally important. That quote now:
Our Founders knew the people who are armed with knowledge and the ability to communicate it can govern themselves and responsibly exercise the ultimate authority in self-government. They knew that democracy requires the open flow of information both to and, more important, from the citizenry.
That means it is past time for us to examine our role as citizens in allowing and not preventing the dangerous imbalance that has emerged with the efforts by the executive branch to dominate our constitutional system and reverse the shocking decay and degradation of our democracy.
Fortunately, we now have the means available to us by which the people of American can reestablish a robust connection to a vibrant and open exchange of ideas with one another about all of the issues most relevant to the course of our democracy. The Internet has the potential to revitalize the role played by the people in our constitutional framework. The Assault on Reason
And not just America - other countries as well. I would rank freedom of press right up there in issues relevant to the course of democracy. Here's to RCTV and all independent news organizations who struggle for their rights.
And here's to all those who join us online, where there's plenty of room!
Comments are closed on this story.