2007年VOA标准英语-Venezuelans Protest Shutdown of Private TV Stat

By Brian Wagner
Caracas
28 May 2007

Venezuela's replacement¹ of a popular opposition² television station with a new state-backed network drew fierce criticism that President Hugo Chavez is curtailing³ democratic freedoms. Demonstrators, including university students, gathered at several locations in Caracas Monday after Radio Caracas Television ceased broadcasting and was replaced with a new state-funded channel. Venezuelan security forces have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters. Injuries were reported. In Caracas, VOA's Brian Wagner reports angry crowds protested across the capital Monday.

The state-backed Venezuelan Social Television began operations shortly after midnight, occupying the same frequency used by Radio Caracas Television. Communications officials had ordered the private station to hand over control for its transmitting equipment, after refusing to renew RCTV's public broadcasting license⁴.

The new station's inaugural⁵ broadcast included traditional Venezuelan song and dance and a statement from the station's president, Lil Rodriguez.

Rodriguez says Venezuela has emerged as a self-respecting nation and now it has a new resource to broadcast messages of dignity for the nation and its people.

Promotional material for the new station said programming will include news, sports, soap operas and documentaries aimed at embracing pluralism and cultural diversity in the nation. Some of the programs broadcast Monday included cartoons and documentaries about rural areas and farming projects in the nation.

RCTV executives have condemned⁶ the decision to remove the private station from public airwaves and have vowed⁷ to challenge the move in the courts. Critics held marches late Sunday outside the National Telecommunications Commission to oppose the government's decision. Police said 11 officers were injured in clashes with protesters.

Demonstrators in Caracas protest government's closing of Radio Caracas Television, 28 May 2007

RCTV employees and university students staged protests Monday in parts of the city to criticize what they say is an attack on free speech. Bank worker Marycel Montiel said she joined one protest to denounce the authoritarian⁸ policies of President Chavez.

Montiel says the closing of RCTV is an affront⁹ to free speech in Venezuela, and compared it to measures taken in Cuba. She says the Venezuelan people do not want the nation to become another Cuba; they want freedom.

The European Union's German presidency¹⁰ Monday expressed concern about the government's failure to hold and open competition for the TV license and said it expects Mr. Chavez to uphold freedom of speech.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Willian Lara warned of possible legal measures against other media outlets¹¹ for alleged¹² political attacks on the government. In a press conference, Lara accused U.S. broadcaster CNN and Venezuelan cable network Globovision of using video images to create subliminal¹³ messages and false information. He says officials may file lawsuits¹⁴ in Venezuelan courts and abroad against the broadcasters.

Globovision chief Alberto Federico Ravell rejected the charges as ridiculous and baseless.

1 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 curtailing   

v.截断，缩短( curtail的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They will be curtailing the discussions at two thirty. 他们将把讨论缩短至两点半。 来自互联网
• Individually, banks are acting rationally by retaining their capital and curtailing lending. 此外，银行们正在合理地保留其资本和减少贷款。 来自互联网

4 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

5 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

6 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

7 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

8 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

9 affront   

n./v.侮辱，触怒

参考例句：

• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。
• This remark caused affront to many people.这句话得罪了不少人。

10 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

11 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》

12 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

13 subliminal   

adj.下意识的，潜意识的；太弱或太快以至于难以觉察的

参考例句：

• Maybe they're getting it on a subliminal level.也许他们会在潜意识里这么以为。
• The soft sell approach gets to consumers in a subliminal way.软广告通过潜意识的作用来影响消费者。

14 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句