July 27, 2006
Telesur station eyes U.S. markets

(Associated Press) - "Telesur has expanded to 17 Latin American countries in its first year on the air.

Now officials with the TV network financed by Venezuela and four other nations is eyeing US markets. Telesur today marked its first anniversary.

The operation is touted by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez as an upstart and alternative to what he calls the Washington-friendly coverage of media giants such as CNN.

Telesur hopes to make inroads in Hispanic communities in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, New York, New Jersey and Florida. Telesur president and former Venezuelan Information Minister Andrés Izarra says the process has been uphill because he calls it 'an alternative media outlet.' The Venezuelan government holds a 51 percent stake in Telesur, with Argentina owning 20 percent, Cuba 14 percent, Uruguay ten percent and Bolivia five percent".