"If an act of violence occurs, a coup attempt, or subversion ... and a television station is involved in it, be assured that it will be taken off the air," said Chavez during a speech at the presidential palace.
Chavez has recently accused dissident soldiers and radical opposition groups of plotting to spur violence during a Nov.28-Dec. 1 signature drive for a presidential recall.
News media owners responded by saying they had not been asked to broadcast ads. Still, they offered to air voting information approved by elections authorities before an opposition petition drive this weekend to demand a presidential recall vote.
Chavez claimed that Venezuela's private television stations were refusing to broadcast paid government advertising.
Marcel Granier, general director of RCTV television, and Victor Ferreres, director of Venevision, told reporters that none of Venezuela's private TV stations had been asked to air pro-government ads.
Also Wednesday, the Inter-American Press Association urged Chavez's government to respect press freedoms during the recall drive.
Opposition groups are trying to drum up support for the drive, claiming Chavez is trying to impose a socialist state. More than 2.4 million signatures must be collected to force the recall, which would be held next year. Chavez's term runs to 2007.
Chavez allies said Tuesday they had collected enough signatures during their own petition drive last weekend to force recall votes against 37 opposition lawmakers and so increase their majority in congress. [end]
A splintered alliance of opposition parties and groups hopes to gather 2.4 million signatures needed to trigger a vote against the former army officer who they say is steadily turning the world's No. 5 oil exporter into a communist tyranny.
After two years of conflict, opposition leaders believe their referendum campaign will succeed in ousting Chavez at the ballot box. A short-lived coup last year and a recent crippling two-month oil strike failed to topple him.
"This is the beginning and the end of this democratic fight. Here we have the dreams and hopes of millions of people," opposition leader Enrique Mendoza told reporters.
The opposition says it will collect signatures at more than 2,700 centers across the country and expects dozens of international observers to guarantee a fair process. But they fear Chavez may use violence to scuttle their campaign. ***