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In 1998, there were 24 television channels nationwide, of which only 3 were public (and they were non-biased). In 2014, there were 105 TV channels, but only 46 percent were private. (If one looks at local channels alone, the decline in the share of independent media is less steep, from 50 percent in 1998 to 39 percent in 2014.) State-owned channels now account for 17 percent of all television channels (14 percent if one looks only at local and regional television channels). In addition, under chavismo a new category emerged—"communitarian channels," located mostly in smaller cities, accounting for 37 percent of television stations in 2014. communitarian channels technically are supposed to be independent, and many of them struggle to assert some autonomy vis-á-vis the state. But only pro-government channels receive state funding and support. Given that there are few other funding sources, communitarian channels inevitably end up complying with state directives.