{"id":17879,"date":"2016-03-22T16:23:07","date_gmt":"2016-03-22T20:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=17879"},"modified":"2016-03-22T16:23:07","modified_gmt":"2016-03-22T20:23:07","slug":"radio-marti-an-uncertain-future-with-the-thaw-in-uscuba-relations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/03\/radio-marti-an-uncertain-future-with-the-thaw-in-uscuba-relations\/","title":{"rendered":"Radio Mart\u00ed: an uncertain future with the “thaw” in US\/Cuba relations"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Havana,<\/a>

Havana, Cuba (Photo: Wikimedia)<\/p><\/div>\n

(Source: PRI<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"RadioMarti\"<\/a>On first impression, Radio and TV Mart\u00ed looks and feels pretty much like any other newsroom. Emilio Vazquez shows me around, and we stop and watch two radio broadcasters behind a thick pane of glass.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a morning show known as \u2018El Revoltillo,\u2019 which is like an on-air swap market type of show, where people call in and offer different products and services for sale on island,\u201d says Vazquez.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s what\u2019s different about this call-in show: It\u2019s illegal for its listeners to call in, or even to listen. That is, if they even can \u2014 the Cuban government tries to jam broadcast signals coming from Florida. Vazquez said they\u2019re always trying to stay one step ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have various methods of transmission. We have medium-wave transmission on AM frequency, we have our short-wave transmissions as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those change frequencies throughout the course of the day.<\/p>\n

Radio and TV Mart\u00ed has been delivering news and information to Cuba since 1985, an intense period of the Cold War. The Cuban American National Foundation, a powerful lobbying group of Cuban exiles in Miami, helped persuade the Reagan Administration to create the stations, which fall under the Broadcasting Board of Governors, a US government agency.<\/p>\n

\n

[…]Still, critics of the Mart\u00eds question if Cubans are getting the best information from the government news agency. They call the programming one-dimensional, conservative and a mouthpiece of American policy. Gamarra says he\u2019s staunchly disagreed with many editorials broadcast by the Mart\u00eds over the years.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think the criticism of them, that because they\u2019re conservative, they\u2019re not good journalists, doesn\u2019t follow. They still have some value,\u201d says Gamarra. \u201cI think [the Mart\u00eds] has an expiration date though.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of the US government, Radio and TV Mart\u00ed works out of large compound in Miami fortified by barbed wire, guards, and airport-type screening. As part of the US government, Radio and TV Mart\u00ed works out of large compound in Miami fortified by barbed wire, guards, and airport-type screening. Credit: Jason Margolis
\nWhen that expiration date should be is the big question. With a thaw in US-Cuba relations, some say the time is now. Democratic Congresswoman Betty McCollum of Minnesota introduced a bill to end the Mart\u00eds. It\u2019s called the: \u201cStop Wasting Taxpayer Money on Cuba Broadcasting Act.\u201d The Mart\u00eds cost US taxpayers $27 million a year.<\/p>\n

President Barck Obama wants to turn the Mart\u00eds into an independent non-profit, but still funded by the government. It would be called a \u201cgrantee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many conservatives say that would weaken the government\u2019s commitment, and that the Mart\u00eds still provide an invaluable service exposing human rights abuses in Cuba.<\/p>\n

Malule Gonz\u00e1lez says her operation is more important than ever, even with President Obama on the island today.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be confused by people shaking hands, that doesn\u2019t mean that the Cuban people have any freedom,\u201d says Gonz\u00e1lez.<\/p>\n

Read the full article on PRI’s website…<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Source: PRI) On first impression, Radio and TV Mart\u00ed looks and feels pretty much like any other newsroom. Emilio Vazquez shows me around, and we stop and watch two radio broadcasters behind a thick pane of glass. \u201cWe have a morning show known as \u2018El Revoltillo,\u2019 which is like an on-air swap market type of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,960,3,43],"tags":[1800,4873,4874,184],"class_list":["post-17879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-cuba","tag-pri","tag-public-radio-international","tag-radio-marti"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-4En","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11813,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/12\/an-swl-perspective-on-uscuba-relations\/","url_meta":{"origin":17879,"position":0},"title":"An SWL perspective on US\/Cuba relations","author":"Thomas","date":"December 22, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, London Shortwave, who has posted an article on his blog regarding\u00a0US\/Cuba relations after Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro announced, last Tuesday, the re-establishment\u00a0of relations. London Shortwave has included\u00a0recordings from the VOA, Radio Marti and Radio Havana Cuba. Click here to read\u00a0the full article\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"WFL_015","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/CubanFlag.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16383,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/castro-wants-an-end-to-us-broadcasts-directed-at-cuba\/","url_meta":{"origin":17879,"position":1},"title":"Castro wants an end to US broadcasts directed at Cuba","author":"Thomas","date":"December 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: VOA News) Cuban President Raul Castro is urging the U.S. government to stop radio and television broadcasts that Cuba considers harmful, while also saying that his government is willing to keep improving relations with the United States. In a speech broadcast on state television Friday, Castro said that his\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Havana, Cuba (Photo: Wikimedia)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Cuba.Habana.Malecon.01.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Cuba.Habana.Malecon.01.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Cuba.Habana.Malecon.01.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Cuba.Habana.Malecon.01.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30862,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/budget-proposes-drastic-cuts-to-radio-marti\/","url_meta":{"origin":17879,"position":2},"title":"Budget proposes drastic cuts to Radio Mart\u00ed","author":"Thomas","date":"February 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Note that the Edward R. Murrow Transmitting Station--the last VOA\/BBG transmitting site in the US--is the main provider of Radio Marti over shortwave. No doubt, this proposed cut could close the site permanently. The end of an era. (Source: Miami Herald via Mike Hansgen) Trump\u2019s budget includes drastic cuts to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/VOA-site-B-Wallpaper-MainBuilding2-1-1024x640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/VOA-site-B-Wallpaper-MainBuilding2-1-1024x640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/VOA-site-B-Wallpaper-MainBuilding2-1-1024x640.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16460,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/a-little-taste-of-cuba-on-free-to-air-satellite\/","url_meta":{"origin":17879,"position":3},"title":"A Little Taste of Cuba on Free To Air Satellite","author":"Thomas","date":"December 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi, for the following guest post: A Little Taste of Cuba on Free To Air Satellite by Mario Filippi, N2HUN (All photos courtesy of author) Tropical countries have always held a fascination for me, Cuba being at the top of the interest totem\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"WS International Ku band offset dish with Chapparal Ku LNB","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Ku-Band-Dish-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Ku-Band-Dish-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Ku-Band-Dish-1024x768.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37905,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/independent-review-says-u-s-funded-broadcaster-failing-to-spread-fair-and-balanced-news\/","url_meta":{"origin":17879,"position":4},"title":"Independent review says U.S.-funded broadcaster failing to spread fair and balanced news","author":"Thomas","date":"May 23, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Washington Post via Mark Fahey) A U.S. agency that is supposed to broadcast objective Spanish-language news programs into Cuba fails to meet basic standards of journalistic fairness[...] The review of [Radio] Mart\u00ed content, conducted by Spanish-speaking academics and former journalists and released Tuesday, found the news organization routinely allows\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10779,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/incredible-band-openings-tonight\/","url_meta":{"origin":17879,"position":5},"title":"Incredible band openings tonight","author":"Thomas","date":"September 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"After an X class solar flare that caused a serious HF radio black-out earlier today, we've been rewarded with superb radio conditions this evening in North America. This is, perhaps, one of the best temporary band openings I've experienced this year. \u00a0Unfortunately, there's a good chance an incoming CME could\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"X1.6 Solar Flare, sunspot 2158 (source: Solar Ham)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/SolarFlare.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/SolarFlare.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/SolarFlare.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17879"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17879\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}