Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Hondurans mount 'tele-coup' to counter one-sided media



http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jQjwGcofkWmZiu_1umWf-TR--xyA

TEGUCIGALPA (AFP) — Using amateur videos and mobile phone pictures, young Hondurans opposed to the ousting of President Manuel Zelaya are uploading images to YouTube in what they have branded a 'tele-coup.'

With media controls in place, national channels offer biased political coverage and frequently cut off all cable channels to broadcast their messages.

Some repeatedly air speeches from the interim leaders who sent Zelaya away on a plane to Costa Rica on June 28, as well as pictures of days-old demos by their supporters.

To counter the one-sided coverage, Zelaya supporters are uploading videos of protests, speeches by union leaders and clashes with the army.

"We call it 'tele-coup' because on the national channels you can't see the reality of what's happening," said engineering student Cesar Silva.

"Obviously if they cut Internet broadband we're dead," Silva told AFP, adding that the supporters use several servers to try to avoid being cut off.

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