In Official Gazette No.
39.937 of June 5, 2012, an additional credit of Bs. 1,196,344,526 (US$278,219,657.02)
was approved for the Ministry of Communication and Information. This
represents a 57% increase over its approved budget (Bs. 764,181,495) for 2012. Five
opposition members of parliament dissented from the majority. It is interesting
to see that the allocation corresponds to the public media system (state
television and radio stations) for the coverage, dissemination, and promotion
of the government administration:
|
Entity
|
Additional Credit Amount
|
2012 Budget
|
Budget + Additional Credit
|
% Increase to the Initial Budget
|
|
Televisora Venezolana Social (TVES)
|
12,061,500
|
21,000,000
|
33,061,500
|
57%
|
|
National Press and Official Gazette
|
19,043,789
|
14,000,000
|
33,043,789
|
136%
|
|
Fundación Ávila TV
|
58,479,107
|
21,404,855
|
79,883,962
|
273%
|
|
Fundación Correo del Orinoco
|
30,772,159
|
16,500,000
|
47,272,159
|
186%
|
|
Venezolana de Televisión (VTV)
|
280,768,963
|
105,000,000
|
385,768,963
|
267%
|
|
Corporación Venezolana de Telecomunicaciones,
S.A. (COVETEL)
|
120,052,735
|
74,750,000
|
194,802,735
|
161%
|
|
Radio Mundial
|
24,785,797
|
7,000,000
|
31,785,797
|
354%
|
|
Radio Zulia
|
6,478,370
|
2,250,000
|
8,728,370
|
288%
|
|
Radio Margarita
|
8,818,139
|
1,800,000
|
10,618,139
|
490%
|
|
Radio del Sur
|
5,512,551
|
8,000,000
|
13,512,551
|
69%
|
|
Agencia Venezolana de Noticias [Venezuelan
News Agency]
|
38,897,475
|
40,000,000
|
78,897,475
|
97%
|
|
Radio Nacional de Venezuela [National Radio
of Venezuela]
|
115,452,592
|
36,000,000
|
151,452,592
|
321%
|
|
Radiodifusora de los Andes
|
3,127,196
|
1,200,000
|
4,327,196.00
|
261%
|
Other notable projects that
will be funded through this credit are: The National Journalism Prize (Bs. 12,422,495),
Development and Dissemination of Media and Information Campaigns in Support of
the Government Administration (Bs. 249,524,929), Media Dissemination and
Coverage of the Presidential Agenda (Bs. 582,400), Strengthening of Alternative
and Community Media (Bs.2,786,560), and Production of the Program Aló Presidente (Bs.1,044,400). These
five projects have very high sums allocated to Printing and Publication (Bs. 16,254,211)
and Publicity and Advertising (Bs. 200,969.121).
Organizations such as
Transparency Venezuela fear that these extraordinary funds will be used to
finance government advertising.
Expand article: http://ow.ly/bRefq and http://ow.ly/bRf9i