Channel 5 is at the service of the cultural left

Channel 5, known as Televisión Nacional de Uruguay (TNU), is the State's public television channel.

Operated by the National Audiovisual Communication Service (SECAN), which is under the Ministry of Education and Culture, it began broadcasting on June 19, 1963. Its headquarters are in Montevideo.

Throughout all governments, including that of Luis Lacalle Pou, the channel has consistently operated to promote the cultural left's agenda, beyond political parties.

The director

The director of Channel 5 (TNU) is Erika Hoffmann, who also chairs the National Audiovisual Communication Service (SECAN). 

She took office in March 2025, with Yamandú Orsi's government.

She was born in Montevideo 50 years ago. She is married and has three daughters. However, what matters is neither her marital status nor her offspring. 

What is important is her project for a channel funded by everyone's taxes.

Her stepfather, Pedro Seré, was one of the founders of the Artiguista Vertiente. 

Liber Seregni, historic leader of Frente Amplio, used to visit her home during the founding meetings of Vertiente in 1989.

She did not adhere to Vertiente's moderate left, but rather sympathized with the Communist Party.

Media bias in favor of the cultural left

The channel played a prominent role in covering the departmental elections of May 2025, with live broadcasts and "political analysis" panels.

These "analyses" promoted narratives aligned with the cultural left, reinforcing its ideological agenda.

Coverage of the "Marcha del silencio"

Channel 5 covered the 2025 Marcha del Silencio with a bias in favor of the families of the so-called "disappeared," and an anti-military tone, in line with the cultural left's agenda.

It was broadcast live and also through YouTube.

The broadcast of the May 20 march, carried out by the channel funded by everyone's taxes, began around 7:00 p.m., capturing the route and key moments along 18 de Julio Avenue.

Hoffmann, from the channel that should belong to all Uruguayans, prioritized the proclamations of those marching, aligned with the cultural left's narrative.

The idea was spread that there are 197 disappeared in Uruguay, when in reality there are 33 or 34, since the rest disappeared in Argentine territory.

The channel concealed that the families of the disappeared receive million-dollar compensation and reparations, and also omitted that many of the disappeared were guerrillas who committed blood crimes and attacked the Republic. 

The channel, which is funded by everyone's taxes, used the May 20 march to promote the cultural left's narrative, generating an atmosphere of hatred and revenge.

Lies were spread, and people and organizations not favored by the cultural left were slandered.

A channel funded by taxpayers' taxes was used to promote a march aligned with the radical left, where falsehoods were spread and truths were concealed.

In the days following May 20, Channel 5 insisted on the issue of the disappeared, repeating the narrative that there were almost 200 in Uruguay. 

At no time was there any reference to the economic reparations received by the families, paid with people's taxes.

It was not mentioned that the disappeared belonged to terrorist groups that attacked the institutional order, and that many of them committed blood crimes.

"Journalistic" programs

Since March, the channel has deepened its "journalistic" programs, which function as propaganda for the cultural left's agenda.

When a politician is invited, the questions are usually designed to reinforce the cultural left's narratives, regardless of their political affiliation. 

The "political analyses" are usually conducted by commentator Daniel Chasquetti, who in his youth was active in the Communist Party. 

A channel at the service of an ideological agenda

Ultimately, the channel, which is funded by all taxpayers' taxes, has become a propaganda tool for the cultural left's agenda, a pattern that has persisted throughout all governments, including that of Luis Lacalle Pou.

There is no pluralism nor are there voices that challenge this agenda. What exists is a permanent narrative in favor of the cultural left.

The channel is becoming similar to those of authoritarian socialist governments, which use a media outlet that should belong to everyone for ideological purposes. 

If Channel 5 continues down this path, it will become Venezolana de Televisión, the channel of the chavista dictatorship, where only one ideological narrative is promoted and those who do not share it are slandered. 

The best thing would be to shut down the channel forever, and for the money that Uruguayans pay to fund it to be used for something more useful.