Ecuador TV station returns to air after suspension

Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest against the suspension of the broadcast of the local Teleamazonas private channel in front of the channel's TV station in Quito December 22, 2009. The banner reads: ''''Defenders of Freedom, wake up Ecuador''.

QUITO (Reuters) - An Ecuadorean private television station critical of President Rafael Correa came back on air on Friday after a three-day suspension that fueled concern among government critics over press freedom in the Andean country.

Correa has in the past called for the Teleamazonas channel to be shut down for broadcast what he said were false reports and has lashed out at private stations he says are conspiring with business groups opposed to his socialist reforms.

The country's telecommunications superintendency ordered Teleamazonas off the air after charging the channel with broadcasting unsubstantiated news reports earlier this year.

"We will maintain our responsible, independent and pluralist journalistic line," Teleamazonas vice president Carlos Jijon told Reuters.

Teleamazonas said the suspension was illegal and it plans legal action. It had been under investigation for violations of a law drafted by a dictatorship nearly 35 years ago. Officials say the station was given full rights to defend itself.

Correa says he is not undermining press freedom, but fighting media barons who have for years gone unregulated.

The Ecuadorean leader says tighter regulation is needed, but his campaign parallels moves by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who refused to renew the license of one broadcaster and threatened to shut another anti-government station.

The suspension came as Ecuador's lawmakers debate creation of a government-controlled watchdog with powers to punish journalists, in a measure critics say they fear will be used in a crackdown on media freedoms.

(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia in Quito; writing by Patrick Markey in Bogota; editing by Todd Eastham)