Radio, TV Martí fight for freedom

The Miami Herald
March 03, 2010
By Pedro Roig

Cuba -- The tragic death of political prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata Tamayo has touched off profound revulsion in Cuba against the brutal tyranny of the Castro brothers. Thousands of Cubans have raised their voices to protest the Cuban dictatorship's criminal inaction in the death of this humble and heroic man who sought respect for human rights through his hunger strike.

From day one, Zapata Tamayo's death was broadcast live by Radio Martí. That is why we were surprised to see Francisco ``Pépe'' Hernández utilize this latest Castroite crime as a platform to engage in a tirade against Radio and Televisión Martí, a U.S. government agency that provides accurate, objective and balanced radio and TV programming.

As a citizen of a free country, Hernández is entitled to his critical opinions, but such opinions must be based on facts, which is the essence of our struggle for liberty.

If he had bothered to conduct adequate research before submitting his Feb. 25 Other Views column Encourage change from within to The Miami Herald, he would have learned that Radio Martí -- in an unprecedented move -- was able to broadcast live via cellphone all the drama that surrounded the burial of this new Cuban martyr, including the cries of ``Liberty'' and ``Down with the dictatorship'' during the interment in the town of Banes. Radio Martí's microphones were there for Reina Tamayo, the martyr's mother, and dozens of Cuban dissidents to speak to Cuba and the rest of the world without censorship.

The statement that Radio Martí has canceled programs where opponents of the regime participated is false. On a daily basis, newscasts such as Contacto Cuba, Sin Censores, Periodismo.com, Las Noticias Como Son, La Mujer y la Noticia and Primera Plana open Radio Martí's microphones to Cuba's growing civil society. Day after day, the Cuban dissident movement from across the island resorts to the uncensored waves of Radio and Televisión Martí to speak their truth.

Another falsehood is to proclaim that Televisión Martí has canceled its newscasts. All our programs carry news of interest to Cuba, at half-hour intervals, in a manner that increases the audience's access. Televisión Martí also offers three half-hour programs: Cuba al Día, Nuestra América and Washington al Día, each carrying news and views on the island's happenings.

When I took over as director of Radio and TV Martí, the only way we could broadcast to the island was using an aerostatic balloon anchored in the Florida Keys. We have come a long way since then, significantly expanding the platforms used to beam the signal of Televisión Martí to the island.

We now employ four broadcast platforms: The Direct TV satellite (Channel 8); the Hispasat Spanish satellite; the ``Aero Martí'' aircraft, which flies over the Florida Keys transmitting simultaneously in VHF (Channel 13) and UHF (Channel 20); and our digital webpage martinoticias.com, available to those Cubans with secret Internet access that's banned by the government.

This has been a difficult year for the budget of Radio and TV Martí. It is distressing that certain influential Cubans, with access to the U.S. Congress, kept silent and did not join the efforts of those who fought to prevent the drastic $7-million budget cutback slammed on the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB).

For the past 6 ½ years, as the head of Radio and TV Martí, I have dutifully carried out OCB's critical mission and have had several inspections by the General Accounting Office and the Inspector General. The conclusions of their respective reports were generally positive.

I have chosen to remain silent throughout the years, but recent ill-intentioned statements have forced me to respond, particularly because those statements have come from a member of the Cuban exile community.

I have no intention of engaging in debates. Today, as the head of Radio and Television Martí, or tomorrow, as an attorney, historian and grandfather, you will always find me engaged in the struggle we began more than 50 years ago to ensure the right of all Cubans to speak without the fear of reprisals.

That remains our patriotic obligation -- and the best tribute to all those who, like Orlando Zapata Tamayo, sacrificed their lives for the liberty of Cuba.

source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/03/1509269/radio-tv-marti-fight-for-f...

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