On the Bus or Off, Venezuela Reporters Try to Deliver the News

 

After entering a bus in Venezuela's capital, Juan Pablo Lares sits facing the passengers. He turns on a microphone and speaker, and delivers the news. Someone else holds a black cardboard square around his face to look like he is on a television screen.

He reads the news to the passengers on "El Bus TV," and most listen carefully. Others move past him to get on or off at their stops. The news he delivers rarely makes Venezuela's socialist¹ government appear effective.

That is one of many ways reporters are fighting to keep press freedom in the South American nation. Media in Venezuela, like in other countries, have been struggling to survive.

They face growing pressures from a government trying to control the news. Some members of the media have been fined for criticizing government officials. The government has also placed barriers on purchasing newsprint. This has left millions of people with access to information only through state media.

"This newscast is a way to overcome censorship and misinformation in Venezuela," Lares told his audience of passengers one July afternoon.

Some journalists are giving free newspapers to bus passengers and people at bus stops. Other journalists are walking into communities and reading the news to people standing³ around them or listening from their windows.

Since President Nicolás Maduro took office in 2013, more than 60 news outlets⁴ have closed. Some of them have had multimillion-dollar fines placed by the government telecommunications commission. It accused them of spreading hatred⁵ and supporting the weakening of the government.

Maduro says the media is against his government and spreads false information. His actions toward the press are similar to Venezuela's previous president, Hugo Chávez. Chávez called independent media an enemy after taking power in 1999.

A court in May took control of the Caracas headquarters of the newspaper El Nacional. It was often critical of Maduro and his allies. The action was the result of a defamation⁶ lawsuit⁷ filed by the vice⁸ president of the ruling party.

That same month, the newspaper El Tiempo de Anzoátegui, in the country's northeast, stopped printing. It still publishes news online.

Now, residents in 11 of the country's 23 states no longer have access to newspapers from their areas, reports Espacio Público. The group tracks media censorship in Venezuela.

Daniela Alvarado is with Venezuela's independent Press and Society Institute. She said the use of unusual ways to report the news "has been the positive side of the terrible consequences for journalism⁹ in the country, censorship and the precarious¹⁰ conditions that are currently being experienced."

The newspaper La Nación once printed more than 30 pages everyday and won national journalism awards.

But today, the newspaper in the state of Táchira prints less than 15 pages just four times a week. Omaira Labrador is head of the paper. She said they have an online edition, but people prefer to get their news in print.

Last year, Labrador joined with other media outlets. Since December, they have produced a newscast aired by several radio stations. The goal, she said, is to "fulfill¹¹ the social mission of all media" to keep people informed.

The attempts to weaken the press come as Venezuela faces political, social and economic crises. Driven by dropping oil prices and 20 years of government mismanagement, the country has been in recession for years. Millions live in poverty with high food prices, low wages and high inflation.

"Journalism is used to being the media reporting news on television, radio or the print media," said Maximiliano Bruzual. He is another reporter with El Bus TV. "What we do is get out of the box so to speak."

Words in This Story

overcome — v. to defeat (someone or something)

censor² — v. to examine books, movies, letters, etc., in order to remove things that are considered to be offensive, immoral¹², harmful to society, etc.

journalist — n. the activity or job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio

defamation — n. the act of saying false things in order to make people have a bad opinion of someone or something : the act of defaming someone or something

consequence — n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions

precarious — adj. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions

highlight — v. to make or try to make people notice or be aware of (someone or something) : to direct attention to (someone or something)

(think) out of the box — phr. think in a new or creative way

1 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

2 censor   

n./vt.审查，审查员；删改

参考例句：

• The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。
• The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

6 defamation   

n.诽谤；中伤

参考例句：

• Character defamation can be either oral or written.人格诽谤既可以是口头的也可以是书面的。
• The company sued for defamation.这个公司因受到诽谤而提起诉讼。

7 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

10 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

11 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

12 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。