BELIZE CITY – Prominent independent media proprietors have issued a stark warning regarding the proposed acquisition of Speednet by Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), asserting that the consolidation poses an existential threat to press freedom and democratic discourse in the nation.
During an urgent press conference convened on Monday, the owners of Channel 7, Plus TV, and XTV (formerly Krem Television) presented a unified front against the telecommunications merger. They articulated grave concerns that the transaction would concentrate excessive control over critical communication infrastructure within a single entity, potentially enabling censorship and undermining media independence.
Jules Vasquez, proprietor of Channel 7, delivered a forceful condemnation of the proposed arrangement. “This path is fraught with dangers for free speech, freedom of expression, and the free press,” Vasquez asserted. “It is fundamentally unlawful for a handful of government-appointed BTL board members to unilaterally determine the telecommunications future of our entire nation through closed-door decisions that will profoundly impact how citizens connect with each other and the global community.”
Mose Hyde of XTV echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the crucial role of competition in maintaining media diversity. “The very reason viewers can choose between morning and evening programming across different channels is because healthy competition exists within our ecosystem,” Hyde explained. “We speak from traumatic experience regarding the dangers of concentrated control over vital telecommunications infrastructure. While this is undoubtedly about self-preservation for independent media outlets, it is equally about defending the public’s right to choice and diversity in information sources.”
The media executives emphasized that their opposition stems from both professional self-interest and broader public concern, noting that competitive telecommunications markets foster progressive development and protect democratic values. Their collective stance represents an unusual show of unity among typically competitive media entities, underscoring the perceived severity of the threat.
This development occurs amidst ongoing national discussions about media independence and corporate consolidation in Belize’s telecommunications sector, which remains fundamental to information dissemination and public discourse.