The Fidel and Hugo show

I meant to comment on this earlier as it really is funny. The two countries with probably the poorest record in press freedom in Latin America are bonding together against the advent of such imperialist forces of evil as CNN en Español and Telemundo.

The new TeleSur will be the pillar of honest journalism and programming in Latin America. The true voice of the people. Will this mean that Guerra de los Sexos will be replaced by a new bolivarian alternative? “Guerra de los classes” maybe?

About their programming the site proclaims:

Porque la educación es un deber inexcusable, teleSUR ofrecerá contenidos que contribuyan a la formación de sus usuarios.

In English:

Because education is a inexcusable task, teleSUR will offer content that contributes to the development (molding???) of it’s users.

Great stuff, lets mold the minds of the poor ignorant people. I wonder if this is going to be like Canal 11 the government channel in Panama, that no one every watches (except for gringos locos like me).

So the latest according to the always hilarious Cuban news paper Granma is that the US Congress for some reason want to create a US sponsored alternative. Chavez has the solution though:

“Our government must respond (…) If the U.S. government dares to take any action, whatever it may be – for example, if it issues very powerful signals – well, then, there will be electronic warfare,” he stated.

I do have to say that I question the idea of a special US sponsored satelite channel. The US and Latin private sector is already doing a good job undermining the bolivarian international, by providing using underhanded tactics like viewable television. The comedy pair of Fidel and Hugo survive by the pulicity they can generate by such “Attacks on Venezuela”.

Un a unrelated (or is it?) note. Jamaica Observer writes that Cuba will start producing a million Cuban designed tv’s in cooperation with China.

HAVANA (AFP) - Cuba’s Electronics Group and China’s Haier Group will begin manufacturing one million television sets on the island at the end of this year, designed for use in educational programmes, private homes and for export, Cuba’s official news agency said Thursday.

So what is a Cuban designed TV?

• Will it have HiFidel sound?
• Will these be preset to teleSUR?
• Will they keep a record of viewing habits for later “market analysis” to be used in molding the user?
• Will their be an export of Cuban TVs to hip European city dwellers to go with their Che T Shirts?