American right-wing and “liberal” critics of Chavez media policies, I don’t think understand the Venezuelan media. The vast majority of the media is consolidated and private in Venezuela — just like the US. And as right-wing talk radio blatherers call the “mainstream” media the liberal media here — when it is actually right-wing — the Venezuelan private media is that way too. As usual up is down in the US reporting on Venezuela. For example, Columbia Journalism School professor, John Dines, had this to say about the award, that was presented to Chavez, “For a journalism school to give [Chávez] a prize setting him up as a model seems to be a contradiction or it means the La Plata journalism school has adopted the view of communication viewed by Chávez: that … state-controlled, direct communication is preferable to independent media and journalism as we know it.”

But what this “learned” professor fails to understand about Venezuela is that Chavez has actually added diversity — and more plurality of opinion — through his media efforts. I don’t look to Obama for forward thinking or vision, on anything in this country, but he should certainly look to add diversity and plurality of opinion here too! And with Comcast taking over the only ostensibly liberal channel in this country, that certainly doesn’t look to be happening — under “team Obama’s” charge.