Telesur Launches Test Signal

Telesur, a new television network spearheaded by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and created with support from the Venezuelan, Cuban, Argentine and Uruguayan governments, has launched its test signal and will begin programming in late July. The network plans to air 24 hours of continuous Latin American news, documentaries, interviews and movies. Detractors say the network will be an ideological arm of the participating countries – all of which have leftist governments – and will spin anti-American propaganda.