Abused journalism

Venezuela currently suffers a large number of problems, given the mismanagement of those in charge of governing this nation. These problems are difficult to resolve in a short period of time and among them is the lack of freedom of expression. Journalism is married to the truth, a good journalist with ethics and values has the mission to transmit facts with objectivity and show the world what should be seen; Doing good journalism in Venezuela is a very difficult task, not to say impossible, at least in the conventional media.

It is not something new that Creole journalism currently perceives, there are a few years in which impunity has manifested itself and has managed to achieve the results that a group of people wants to have. The television channels, radios and newspapers are controlled and in many cases (whether they want it or not), they are forced to keep important information for the country, but that, to transmit them, they will generate the "merit" of a sanction or speaking in greater terms , the exit of the air from the communicative medium.

To express the present that we live in terms of the different aspects of communication, we must remember the release of air from a very important channel, for many the best for years, Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), a channel that fulfills its journalistic work of carrying and transmitting the truth, no matter how hard it was, suffered the injustice of being taken from the air at the hands of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías. It was an event that generated the frustration of millions of Venezuelans, produced that feeling of injustice that we suffer every day in our country, we could say that there began each and every one of the setbacks that would suffer and continue to suffer the media.

Closing the most important channel in Venezuela undoubtedly caused a great impact on society and not only that, but other large television networks were "forced" to measure their news, from that moment a fear of failure and fear of not comply with guidelines directed by the government, so as not to see and be direct witnesses of another closure. It is difficult to be in the place of so many journalists who have been in the dilemma of being in a job where in many cases the truth is hidden, just as complicated can be for a radio, television or newspaper station owner, even knowing he must comply with the duty to inform, he knows that in many cases there is information that he can not disclose because he will immediately suffer sanctions. Undoubtedly, that is not freedom of expression; is a limited journalism, directed, manipulated, harassed and that goes hand in hand, no matter how hard it may seem, at the end of the dictatorship.

A large number of media have been closed in recent months, some for sanctions and others for lack of inputs, regardless of the cause, something is not right; or rather, few are the things that are working correctly. So many closures, manipulations and negative circumstances, have forced the journalist, who carries in his blood the passion to inform, cost what it costs and that is not sold or sold to your country for any amount of money, look for and use other alternatives to publicize and transmit important announcements, social networks and technology have taken a leading role.

We live in the era of smartphones, computers and volatile information, I know a large number of people who have stopped watching television news, listening to the radio and even buying newspapers and keep informed throughout the day thanks to the technology. I do not say that it is good or bad, everyone can choose the means by which he wants to satisfy the need to be informed, but nowadays he is leading us to exploit this alternative, for aspects that I mentioned before and among which are, that in emerging media can get information that is vetoed in conventional media and even reduce costs, since, in the case of the newspaper you must pay mostly in cash and get it is very complicated, but that is 'another matter'. The important thing is to adapt and the communicators are doing it, at least those who continue to fight in our country and who have not made the decision to undertake a trip and cross the border.

New technologies, for now, can offer the alternative of a journalist continue their work and transmit the truth, but I say at the moment, because it would not be surprising that increase the brazenness and sanctions even for the content you post on the web.