"Jesus Christ, Super Censored": GBRV Pressure Sinks

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000241 SIPDIS AMEMBASSY ATHENS PASS TO AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL LEIPZIG AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PASS TO AMCONSUL RECIFE AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PASS TO AMCONSUL QUEBEC AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN PASS TO AMEMBASSY GRENADA E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/26 TAGS: PGOV VE PHUM SCUL EINV SUBJECT: "Jesus Christ, Super Censored": GBRV Pressure Sinks Musical's Sponsorship Deal REF: 10 CARACAS 219 CLASSIFIED BY: Rolf Olson, Acting Political Counselor, DOS, POL; REASON: 1.4(D) ¶1. (C) Summary: On February 26, local media reported that a sponsorship deal for the Venezuelan musical production of Jesus Christ, Superstar fell apart after the production company refused to comply with demands by sponsors Blackberry-RIM and Movilnet that publicity for the musical not be placed in certain local media considered unfriendly to the Venezuelan government (GBRV),such as TV station Globovision and newspapers El Nacional and El Universal. Production company director Michel Hausmann said that the state-owned Movilnet and Canadian-based Blackberry-RIM further informed him that the producers could place no ads - even with their own money - in media which had not been approved by the two companies. Hausmann and his fellow producers refused to comply, and are seeking other financing. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Local media on February 26 reported that local production company Palo de Agua had pulled out of a $300,000 agreement with two companies, Blackberry-RIM and Movilnet, to sponsor and provide publicity for an upcoming local production of the musical Jesus Christ, Superstar. (Note: Movilnet is the cell phone subsidiary of GBRV-owned telephone company CANTV; Blackberry-RIM is a private Canadian company. End Note.) According to Palo de Agua's director, Michel Hausmann, the deal had initially been consummated verbally on January 7, followed by a January 21 written confirmation from the two companies. ¶3. (SBU) Hausmann relayed that on January 29, Palo de Agua's leadership was summoned to a meeting in the Caracas offices of Movilnet, where the producers were informed of a "new condition" for the contract. Palo de Agua would be barred from placing ads for the musical in a handful of specified local media outlets: Globovision, radio station Ateneo FM, and local newspapers El Nacional, El Universal, El Nuevo Pais, Tal Cual, and Revista Zeta. Furthermore, Palo de Agua could not purchase advertising - even with its own resources - in media which had not been approved by Blackberry RIM and Movilnet. According to Hausmann, an official of Movilnet asserted that the musical could only be advertised in the newspaper Ultimas Noticias and television channels other than Globovision. Finally, the banned media outlets could also not serve as co-sponsors of the musical, despite having done so for previous Palo de Agua productions. ¶4. (C) Hausmann told Cultural Officer by phone on February 26 that Palo de Agua appealed directly to the Mexico-based regional headquarters for Blackberry-RIM, which refused to back away from Movilnet's demand, arguing it could not go against its "biggest ally in the region." Hausmann said Palo de Agua then formally pulled out of the deal by affirming that it was "an autonomous business that did not mix its artistic objectives with ideologies that run contrary to principles of liberty and democracy." Fellow Palo de Agua director Yair Rosemberg observed that "it's one thing when the government acts this way, to which we are well-accustomed. But Blackberry-RIM is a business that has many interests outside of Venezuela." Hausmann also relayed to Cultural Officer that Palo de Agua had wanted to go public about the dispute when it transpired in late January, but feared retaliation before the production work had commenced. Hausmann said his fears were confirmed when in the first hour after the news broke on February 26, Palo de Agua's agent received a call from Movilnet asserting that Palo de Agua "would regret the decision" to go public, and should be prepared to "get screwed." ¶5. (C) Comment: The GBRV's policy of withdrawing advertising from private media outlets it perceives to be "attacking the revolution" has already taken a significant toll on the financial prospects of many of those outlets (Reftel). This incident confirms the degree to which the GBRV seeks to shut off any source of revenue to media it considers politically antagonistic. End Comment. DUDDY