WHAT'S NEXT: INNOVATIONS IN NEWSPAPERS

Today’s El Nacional of Caracas (Venezuela) self censorship  in response to the new censorship measures of the Chavez government.

That’s to print WOW.

No news?

Bad news!

This remembers me my first years in journalism working for Gaceta Universitaria when we were filling the empty spaces left by the Franco’s censors with the “Caperucita Roja” tale.

(Via Midia Mundo)

It was my first hotel in Caracas more than 20 year ago.

A very bad hotel, then and now.

The Guardian has today a marvelous and hilarious dispatch from Caracas about the new management.

It’s now the ALBA Caracas hotel

Chavez took over, so expect the worst.

(An old view from the Caracas Hilton room 1205)

Cecilia Rodiguez took this dramatic picture, published today in the front page of  EL NUEVO PAIS.

Last Thursday, a brave Chavez oppositor confronted just wih his arms “La Ballena”, a  police water tank..

The Tiananmen heroism is alive in Caracas!

Please spread the picture.

I am in Caracas working with Cadena Capriles.

And yesterday our work was interrupted by breaking news related with this company.

As you know, Journalism is a very risky business in Venezuela.

But journalism and journalists are playing a terrific watchdog role in this country.

Yesterday violent Chaves thugs, some of then journalists!, attacked a group of journalists of Cadena Capriles (publisher of ULTIMAS NOTICIAS, LIDER and EL MUNDO) that were in the streets of Caracas protesting against press freedom restrictions included in a new law.

More pictures here.

The 12 brutally injured journalists are today the heroes of this necessary profession.

And they deserve our gratitude.

Chapeau!

AP reports:

Many Spaniards were so amused when their king told Venezuela’s president to “shut up” they want to hear the words every time their phone rings.mobile phone ringtone featuring the phrase “Por que no te callas?” or “Why don’t you shut up?”

That’s what King Juan Carlos told Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a heated confrontation at a summit in Chile last week.

The ringtone is thought to have generated around $2.2 million for the companies selling it, El Pais said.

T-shirts and mugs featuring the words are also becoming a profitable business, and videos of the confrontation have been a hit on the YouTube Web site…

“The king said what Venezuelans have wanted to say to Chavez’s face for a long time,” said Jenny Romero, 21, a student…

The spat last week began when Chavez repeatedly called former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar a “fascist.”

Spain‘s current prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, asked Chavez to be more diplomatic and show respect for other leaders.

As Chavez repeatedly tried to interrupt, King Juan Carlos leaned forward and said: “Why don’t you shut up?”

The instant, viral, political marketing popularity of King Juan Carlos comes when the monarch’s role was questioned inside of Spain.

This politically incorrect expression has made the King into a popular figure inside and outside his country.

He confronted the clown like a circus ring’s master.

Well done!