Hugo Chavez, Maynard G. Krebs, and Other Media Moguls

Venezuela's big media outfits are famously unfriendly to President Hugo Chavez. So he's finding his friends where he can: The New York Times reports that he's poised to legalize -- and subsidise -- around 200 low-power radio and TV stations based in the barrios of the country, many of which were previously illicit pirate operations.

Meanwhile, Gilligan's Island and Dobie Gillis star Bob Denver is starting a low-power radio station in West Virginia. Licensed to "The Denver Foundation," the outfit intends to run "anything that strikes Denver's fancy," according to The Charleston Gazette. "'I think I'm even going to do original radio dramas,' he mused. 'The kind with cliffhangers where you have to tune in next week to see what happens.'"

Comments

[Douglas Fletcher]

Bob Denver lives in West Virginia, for whatever reason. He's been there for years.

I like West Virgnia, myself, though it is a little unnerving when you first see a trailer park on the side of a mountain.

Important cultural critic that I am, I think it is a bit of a tragedy that Denver never did much work after the demise of Gilligan. I think he would have made a much better Radar O'Reilly, for example, and his ability to perfectly portray an idiot would have been useful for a lot of shows.

[fyodor]

he's poised to legalize -- and subsidise

Too bad he can't just stop at the legalize part.

As for Krebs, I wonder if he plans a simulcast on the web? Either way, sounds like a great hobby! But I also wonder: what's he doing in West Virginia??

[joe]

Those dispersed, low power stations will come in handy for Chavez when the School of the Americas alums start broadcasting more bogus "firing into crowds" footage during next spring's "spontaneous uprisings."

[dude]

West Virginia is a cheap place to live and there aren't a lot of cops. Good place for a hideout.

Plus, it boasts an excellent highway system. You can get on the Robert Byrd offramp to take the Robert Byrd turnpike to the Robert Byrd interstate to get to the Charleston Mall presented by Robert Byrd.

[The Skipper]

Sounds like a plan, Little Buddy!

[Warren]

SKIPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER

[KentInDC]

Dude,
Let's just hope Denver doesn't violate the transmission restrictions in the National Radio Quiet Zone (soon to be renamed the Robert C. Byrd National Radio Quiet Zone, no doubt). They have to make sure they don't get stray signals at the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank telescope, a $75 million radio telescope built in WV because the area lacks potential for development. You have to admire that sort of creativity - landing a mega-project for an area by arguing that no one would want to build anything there.