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Venezuela: UK Independent and criminal reporting

By Justin Podur at Aug 16, 2004

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Who needs the Venezuelan opposition to criminally announce the results of the referendum in advance when the international press can do so just as well? Even though the National Electoral Council has just announced (about 8:30pm) that polls will not be closing until midnight because there are so many people still to vote, the Hannah Baldock of the UK Independent has used dubious and unsourced "exit polls" from this morning to present Chavez on the brink of defeat. This is against Venezuelan law, for good reason, as Al Giordano of the Narcosphere wrote earlier tonight (he passed me this link). Has Hannah joined the opposition? Does Hannah want to break laws and contribute to the chaotic and irresponsible media atmosphere? Or did she just want to scoop the rest of the journalistic world? Hard to know. What is easy to know is that this was a piece of criminally irresponsible journalism that the Independent should rectify. It is also very likely wrong. But the point is that we cannot know if it is wrong until the polls are closed and the votes counted. Speaking of the narcosphere, here is something I prepared for them a few hours back but could not post due to technical difficulties. ----- Re Greg Flakus´s Voice of America piece on the long lineups By Justin Podur, narcosphere Greg Flakus, in his August 15 article on the ongoing recall referendum in Venezuela, laments the fact that there are "There are long lines at polling stations in Venezuela". These lines could be sinister, Flakus suggests, citing Cesar Gaviria of the OAS: "is very important to have results known as quickly as possible, because, when there is a delay that cannot be easily explained, questions about the process emerge." Flakus´s "questions" about the lineups, however, can be "easily explained." Where Flakus claims "Delays at polling stations have been caused by a lengthy process of identification for each voter that includes a fingerprint scanner", Jimmy Carter at a press conference 5:20pm said the lineups are caused by higher levels of participation than ever before. Carter also said that the CNE was taking appropriate measures to deal with the situation, closing the polls as late as necessary. He urged voters to be patient, and assured Venezuelans that everyone who wanted to vote would be able to do so regardless of the time. The late closing of the polls, according to Carter, made the avoidance of early announcements of results even more important. Gaviria himself, Flakus´s source on the possible "questions" that the lineups might cause, said at the same press conference that the patience of the Venezuelan people was amazing. He echoed Carter´s sentiment that everything was going very well, thanks to the work of the CNE and the people of Venezuela. A last note about the lineups. It is now 5:35pm and reports are that there is no lineup any more at the El Bosque voting station (it looks to me like Flakus took his photo at this SI stronghold). But aporrea.org (a source that is certainly no more biased than the Voice of America) reported earlier this afternoon that the longest lineups and the most suspicious machine glitches were happening in the popular neighbourhoods. (http://www.aporrea.org/dameverbo.php?docid=19513).

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Re: Venezuela: UK Independent and criminal reporting

By Briansouter, Briansouter at Aug 19, 2004 10:26 AM
the source of Hannah Baldocks figures? U.S. Poll Firm in Hot Water in Venezuela CARACAS, Venezuela Aug. 19, 2004 — A U.S. firm's exit poll that said President Hugo Chavez would lose a recall referendum has landed in the center of a controversy following his resounding victory. "Exit Poll Results Show Major Defeat for Chavez," the survey, conducted by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, asserted even as Sunday's voting was still on. But in fact, the opposite was true Chavez ended up trouncing his enemies and capturing 59 percent of the vote. Any casual observer of the 2000 U.S. presidential elections knows exit polls can at times be unreliable. But the poll has become an issue here because the opposition, which mounted the drive to force the leftist leader from office, insists it shows the results from the vote itself were fraudulent. The opposition also claims electronic voting machines were rigged, but has provided no evidence. (etc go to link) http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040819_91.html

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Person

Re: Venezuela: UK Independent and criminal reporting

By Decline, Orsi at Aug 16, 2004 11:51 AM
There was also a story by Sibylla Brodzinsky on May 25, 2004 in the London Guardian entitled Left-wing dictator or saviour of the poor: Chávez faces new challenge to his rule. There were reactions from Venezuelanalysis.com. But I do not know whether you could compare the Guardian's editorial policy with the Independent one. The Guardin usually publish such negative reporting. They did the same kind of approach recently to F911, a story by Suzanne Goldenberg entitled 'I THINK HE'S A BIG JERK'. John Pilger wrote about this kind of UK "Independent" media approach in New Statesman in its June 14 issue.

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By To, No at Aug 16, 2004 04:43 AM
You can mail the following addresses to protest the gangsterism of Independent's "reporter" Hannah Baldock newseditor@independent.co.uk, foreigneditor@independent.co.uk, features@independent.co.uk, letters@independent.co.uk I will ask them do they share the money or is it their editorial policy to let each and every reporter earn another salary by undercover assisting of the coup mongers.

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Person

Re: Venezuela: UK Independent and criminal reporting

By To, No at Aug 16, 2004 04:26 AM
Thanks for timely reporting! I have noticed this criminal reporting of "Independent" too, and have wondered when will somebody react to it. Seems you are one of the first to react. The sad thing is that left movements are not serious and not organized to deal with any real event. There should be a mechanism to immediately contact “Independent” and ask them to spell the source of their (I guess nonexistent) polls and to ask about their editorial policy in situations like this. Did journalist receive money for this or is she acting ideologically? Does she share the money with “Dependent” or it is her extra salary? What is it supernatural about “Dependent” to be the only one to “know” what no other media knows? Ceterum censeo... that the reason why left is not serious and not organized is that so many people are so smart theorizing about the “prudence” of voting for Kerry, who, as they admit, doesn't smell very well. When there is no substantial work then opportunism and collaboration will always be the only thing left. Instead of putting the whole system of Democrats and Republicans into a dead corner with no popular support.

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