Radio & TV in Cuba

[B Lewis]

Just curious about this, David...are you able to tell me at what points outside of Cuba that you surveyed these Cubans?  (I ask are you 'able', as I don't know if this is classified info, or not).  I have distant Cuban blood in my family (and speak Spanish), so this topic has been a fascination for me since I was a kid.  Incidentally, I have a friend, who has a friend, who gave me an opportunity to go to work at Marti.  I was getting married to my 1st wife at the time and didn't want to move.  Right, I didn't want to move back to South Florida...was I insane??  It just wasn't the right time...or, at least I didn't think so.  Looking back, I want to kick myself for not going for it!

[DavidEduardo]

Just curious about this, David...are you able to tell me at what points outside of Cuba that you surveyed these Cubans? 

All I was told was that the information was gathered from "persons arriving from Cuba at airports and other destinations" which I took to be travelers going through Caracas, Mexico City, etc., and refugees. As we know, there was a lot of interest by certain agencies in interviewing such people to find out about conditions in Cuba, and determining information sources was part of that.

(I ask are you 'able', as I don't know if this is classified info, or not).  I have distant Cuban blood in my family (and speak Spanish), so this topic has been a fascination for me since I was a kid.  Incidentally, I have a friend, who has a friend, who gave me an opportunity to go to work at Marti.  I was getting married to my 1st wife at the time and didn't want to move.  Right, I didn't want to move back to South Florida...was I insane??  It just wasn't the right time...or, at least I didn't think so.  Looking back, I want to kick myself for not going for it!

All my experiences with Martí have been positive. A number of people I knew or worked with in Miami went to work there, and the people I met inside Martí were genuinely dedicated. I think anyone who believes in the "causa Cubana" would have enjoyed working there.

[B Lewis]

Thanks for the reply, David!  Very interesting stuff!

[blackgold]

I want to know if any of the radio and TV channels in Cuba run any commercial advertisements.  I know that Radio Reloj doesn't run any. 
Personally, I'll get my news on Cuba from Radio Marti in Miami.  They report the news on Cuban prisoners of conscience that Radio Havana Cuba won't report on.  Are the RHC trying to muzzle the truth?  What do you think?

[cd637299]

I want to know if any of the radio and TV channels in Cuba run any commercial advertisements.  I know that Radio Reloj doesn't run any. 
Personally, I'll get my news on Cuba from Radio Marti in Miami.  They report the news on Cuban prisoners of conscience that Radio Havana Cuba won't report on.  Are the RHC trying to muzzle the truth?  What do you think?

Well, obviously there is a certain "spin" on things on RHC.  I'm sure that there are those out there who will say that Radio Marti does the same, only the other way.

The only "commercials" you will hear on Cuban radio/TV are those that you will hear on Radio Taino, which is FM-only in Cuba, but can be accessed online, via www.vtuner.com .  Radio Taino is mainly a station for tourists, and it used to be very bilingual Spanish/English, but today I only hear the top-of-hour ID in both languages, and I believe there is an English news report at 7pm Eastern, maybe 7:15.

I am not sure if the "commercials" are actually underwritings like our non-comms have in the US.  I wanna say that most of these are for local shops in La Habana.

Note:  There *are* quite a few PSA's they have, something like our Ad Council puts out.  Also on their TV are many announcements of upcoming arts festivals, maybe concerts and such.

I'm sure DavidEduardo has more to say here.

cd

[DavidEduardo]

I'm sure DavidEduardo has more to say here.

The whole question is disingenuous. Cuba has a state run economy. The government owns just about everything. It was not until just the last few years that even selling eggs and fruit from your "own" property was illegal and subject to arrest.

(I say "own" because the state decides who gets the use of property)

There is now a certain degree of independent entrepreneurial activity, mostly small shops and taxis and things like that. There is no privately owned beer label, no local Proctor & Gamble.

As you pointed out, the tourist sector is the exception. Foreign hotel chains cater to foreign tourists, etc. But there is otherwise no client base, other than the government, for advertising. And the government owns all, absolutely all, stations.

[cd637299]

^ Well, yes of course.  I suppose it's "el gobierno" that supplies the commercials, as indeed they own/control everything.

Some will remember Taino in the late 1980s/early 1990s, when they ran on AM 1160 or 1180 with maybe 300 kW, blasting bilingual commercials way way up into the FL panhandle and well beyond.  I heard it well in the daytime on FL's west coast.

cd

[Zach]

Has anyone ever published a coverage map for Radio Martí's big directional signal?  I'd love to see what an unencumbered 500 kW lobe over salt water could do. 

[RicoGregg]

But there is otherwise no client base, other than the government, for advertising. And the government owns all, absolutely all, stations.

Jumping into this very late, but better late, etc.

On a video I saw recently on YouTube, a Radio Havana official, a woman, criticized the US for allowing companies like Clear Channel to own most of the radio stations in the country.

As opposed to the Cuban way of doing things, right? 

"Free territory of the Americas" my posterior.

[blackgold]

You're right!  Cuba is no "free territory" in the Americas, if you ask me.