Venezuela - Media

Venezuela is covered by a network of telephone, telegraph, and radiotelephone services and is also served by international cable and radiotelephone systems. In 1991, the government sold 40% of the state-owned CANTV to a consortium led by GTE. In 1998 there were 3.5 million main telephone lines installed, but only 2.6 million of them were in use. The same year, there were 2 million cellular phones in use.

As of 1998, there were 201 AM radio stations and 66 television stations. In 2000 there were 294 radios and 185 television sets for every 1,000 people. In 2001, 950,000 Internet subscribers were served by about 16 service providers.

Leading Venezuelan newspapers (all published in Caracas, except as noted), with their 2002 circulations, are as follows:

Ultimas Noticias	285,000
El Nacional	200,000
Diario 2001	100,000
El Universal	180,000
Panorama (Maracaibo)	125,000

During the Gómez dictatorship, there was no freedom of the press whatsoever; suppression of newspapers was again practiced under the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez. With the overthrow of his regime in January 1958, complete press freedom was proclaimed. Restrictions were imposed again during the second Betancourt administration. Since the late 1960s, however, the press has been generally open and free.