Since its creation in 2008, the award-winning television channel and digital multimedia platform NTN24 has been a bastion of freedom of expression and the rights of Venezuelans living in Venezuela and the eight million who decided to seek new horizons in exile due to the authoritarianism and impoverishment of the country caused by the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro. It gets an A+ in this area.

It has become a benchmark for Latin Americans due to its diverse programming, specialized programs on various topics, and dedicated spaces for regions and countries.

However, it fails miserably and does not even scrape by in its use of Spanish on its signal broadcast from Bogotá. In this area, it gets an F+.

EL PAÍS STYLE BOOK/GENDER ACCREDITATION

The shortcomings are abysmal due to the absence of inclusive language to respect gender accreditation for women in their positions, professions, trades, and other occupations. This trend has been present in the language since January 1990, with the first edition of the 'El País Style Book' more than three decades ago.

FUNDÉU

Not only has NTN24 ignored the criteria of the so-called "Bible of Language," but also the guidelines of Fundéu, the Fundación del Español Urgente (Foundation for Urgent Spanish), created in 2005 by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) and the EFE Agency, which "aims to promote the proper use of Spanish in the media."

With this oversight, NTN24 has missed out on 20 years of daily experience in the evolution, innovation, and progress of the language. Fundéu responds almost immediately to questions and queries with clear and precise answers using the knowledge of its professionals "in the fields of journalism, linguistics, lexicography, orthotypography, correction, and translation."

To emerge from the linguistic Paleolithic era, NTN24 could seek guidance from Fundéu, which considers itself a tool that "helps all those who use language in their daily activities in the media, social networks, and new digital platforms."

GURISATTI

The paradox is that the award-winning television channel and digital platform is run by the beautiful, precise, powerful, and eloquent Colombian journalist Claudia Gurisatti, who moved to Madrid in 2002 due to threats against her life in her own country.

Currently, the Bugeña journalist participates in most of her programs from Spain, near the Royal Academy, Fundéu, and alongside journalists such as Alex Grijelmo, a lover of language and its modernity and a corresponding member of the Colombian Academy of Language.

The other paradox is that these avoidable errors occur in a Colombian corporation, RCN Televisión, the parent company of NTN24, in a country that claims to "speak the best Spanish in the world" and whose capital, Bogotá, was described in the 19th century as the Athens of South America "for its cultural, artistic, and scientific wealth."

ESTADOUNIDISMOS

Academies that were reluctant to change, such as the North American Academy of the Spanish Language (ANLE), based in New York, adapted to the times. In 2012, it even promoted the inclusion of the word "estadounidismo" in the DRAE and added several words specific to United States Spanish to the dictionary.

THE PREPOSITION "DE"

NTN24's blunders also occur in the use of the preposition "de" to define geographical areas, political divisions, and public squares. The preposition "de'" is used in the expression "Provincia de" to indicate belonging or relationship. In the case of "Provincia de Santo Domingo," for example, it refers to the province that belongs to or has a relationship with Santo Domingo. The preposition "de" is also used to specify the province being referred to, as in "Provincia de La Pampa."

"Provincia de" is used in countries where there are political subdivisions called "provinces." Costa Rica, Ecuador, Argentina, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Canada.

The phrase "departamento de" is used in countries where there are political subdivisions called "departamentos." Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Paraguay. "Estado de" is used in most countries where there are geopolitical areas called "estados." Mexico, the United States, and Brazil. State of Zacatecas. State of California. State of Minas Gerais.

Venezuela is the only country where the preposition "de" is omitted to establish belonging or relationship. State Vargas, State Miranda.

Chile is the only country where political territorial subdivisions are referred to as "regions." The preposition "of" is used when regions are mentioned by name but not by number. Tarapacá Region. Region 1.

In Spain, there are first-level territorial entities called autonomous communities. The preposition "de" is used to identify them. Autonomous Community of Andalusia.

There is a trend to omit the preposition "de" when naming squares, buildings, and significant sites in cities and countries. Plaza de Bolivar. Plaza de Mayo. Casa de Nariño. Palacio de Miraflores.

MIGRATION TONE

About immigration language, NTN24 is unaware of the agreement reached in 1994 by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), and the National Native American Journalists Association (NAJA).

The organizations condemned the use of the term "illegal" to refer to irregular immigrants, and the style manuals of the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and AP agreed with the concepts presented by the journalists' associations that gathered 31 years ago at the Unity super conference in Atlanta.

THE PREFIX "EX"

NTN24 also does not use the prefix "ex" attached to the following word, as indicated in the edition of "Ortografía de la lengua española" (Spanish Language Orthography), published in December 2010: "expresidente," not "ex presidente." Other examples of errors: "A "ex militar" carried out the shooting at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin," "The "ex director" of Caja de Ávila receives $400,000 despite still working at Bankia." The correct way to write it is: "A "exmilitar" carried out the shooting at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin," "The "exdirector" of Caja de Ávila receives $400,000 despite still working at Bankia."