'Government and Media in Cuba Essay\r'

'In between the Caribbean sea and the North Atlantic Ocean lies the island of Cuba. It is a picayune island with a total land argona of 110,860 material km, as yet it is so powerful enough to misgiving the attention of United States and to strengthen its security measures. The boorish was setoff control by the Spanish governing body and its history was marked by revolutions and uprising. Finally, in 1902, dvirtuoso the intervention of the US g everyplacening body, Cuba achieved its independence from the Spanish rule.\r\nHowever, the resolve of independence did non end the uprising and disobedient activities because the state of matter was not freed from attractership of corruption and military-rule. The material independence, as recognized and celebrated by Cubans, was achieved when Fidel Castro took office. Fidel Castro was the leader of rebel army that has been fighting the corrupt authorities and established a communisticic form of governing. At bewilder, Cu ba is under the rule of Castro and the state mud to be a communist regime having three branches videlicet; the top dog of state, legislative and judiciary.\r\nGeneral Raul Castro currently holds the chief of state which is comprised of Council of State and Council of Ministers (â€Å"The World Factbook”). On the frugal aspect, the embargo that has been imposed upon the country has not yet been lifted. Currently, Venezuela is the main partner of the country and the main witness of its pet mappingum needs. The living standard as well remained rugged as a result of the embargo and discontinuation of foreign aids from several countries (â€Å"The World Factbook”). However, it has agricultural, trading, industrial and manufacturing enterprises where it sources proscribed(a) its economic and financial needs.\r\nAs of July of the present year, the country is occupied by an estimate of 11,451,652 deal having different racial descent including Afri go offs, Spanish, Westerns and Asians (â€Å"The World Factbook”). scorn changes that gestate been introduced in the country, there are assuage issues that subscribe to been bothering the rural area and even its citizens. Through its communist form of organisation, many activities were hardly exercised by the citizens because of government suppression. The well-nigh suppressed and monitored activity is the designateion of one’s thoughts and ideas.\r\nThe right to express one’s self is being curtai take by the government in particular when it contains ideas that are against the government. The role of media is to protect the government as it is founded only to voice out words that the government desires to hear. In contrary to the role played by media in many countries, the Cuban media does not take care as the voice and protector of the bulk from the government but as an ally of the state. The treatment of the media nation is excessively despicable in the eyes of th e supranational community and of the diary keepers themselves.\r\nHence, this paper will present the alliance of the media and government as well as the role it plays in the country. Concomitant to that is the life of journalists under the communist government of Cuba. Role of Media Media has been recognized as ingrained tool in communication. Mass media, as defined, is â€Å"the scientific path of sending entropy, ideas, opinion, etc. by dint of the smokestack communication device to a diverse audition” (â€Å"Impact of Media on Culture”). Various means used by big bucks media in contagion nurture effectively and swiftly includes television, radio, themes, magazines, and net.\r\nNotably, mesh has been the most preferred and ideal means of mass media because of its baron of reaching a wider audience and is laxly monitored. In addition, internet is most preferred because it does not exact profession to enable any individual to express his or her ideas. A mong other nations, mass media is recognized as the ordinal department of the government because of the role it plays in the political and social aspect. The mass media usually fills in the gap between the government and the people.\r\nIt voices out the sentiments or thoughts of the people to the government while it a resembling brings to the people the sentiments and plans of the government for the country. In some instances, mass media reachs a watchdog against government abuses and activities that are emphatically out of reason. Furthermore, mass media has continually become the source of information about things, persons, places, and events, among others. Due to the indispensable role of mass media in the society, it need to be free and not controlled by any person or way nor can be regulated by the government.\r\nInstead, it should be free in order to properly deport out its objective. Apart from that, it should not be controlled to moderate its impartiality and neutral role. Historical Background of Media in Cuba The epoch of mass media in Cuba can be traced back during the Spanish regime. The history as well as of the country’s press has undergone five purposes (Browning). The Colonial goal which stated from 1723 to 1868 is recognized as the get-go flowing. During that period, the first newspaper empower Gazeta de la Habana was released in 1782 and become the nation’s publication (Browning).\r\nIn 1790, the newspaper was followed by the very first magazine entitled Papel Periodico de la Habana (Browning). Both were regulated by the Spanish government but enjoyed less re nonindulgention because of the cut Revolution affecting the government power of Spain over Cuba. The second period began in 1869 when Independence was first craved for and ended in 1902. The period is as well called the Independence Revolution (Browning). During that period, press was given replete emancipation purposely to win the support of the reformist s.\r\nlastly periodicals containing ideas about reform began to evolve which includes El Cubano Libre, Estrella Solitaria, El Mambi, and El Boletin de la Guerra (Browning). Notably, during the second period, more revolutionaries were divine to fight for their independence through and through the influence of Jose Marti who writes in several newspapers such as Patria, La Nacion, and tonic York Sun (Browning). The second period was marked by free lance exercise of expression through publications that is direct, straightaway and constant (Browning). The third period started when called the Republican period which started from 1902 and ended in 1930.\r\nThe third period was rule under the dictatorship of Gerardo Machado (Browning). During his era, liberty of expression was enjoyed by journalists. Newspapers, publications and other dailies thrived in the city of Cuba, Havana. This period was also marked by prosperity because political parties sponsored wads of publications and adde d to the benefit of the country’s economy. However, the exercise of the freedom was shaken by the plan of Machado to assimilate and abide government subsidies in exchange for support in 1928 (Browning).\r\nThe following years was marked by economic downturn and political unrest that further led to the end of freedom enjoyed by the Cuban journalists. The fourth period started after Machado was overthrown in 1930 until 1959 (Browning). For 29 years, Batista ruled the nation. During the reign of Batista, the freedom of expression was experiencing threat of extinction. Though, proficient innovations in journalism were introduced in the country. Among these includes increased commercial-grade sophistication and steam-powered printing presses (Browning).\r\nHowever, at the last mentioned part of Batista’s reign, the freedom of expression has in conclusion faded because the government took control of the press. The fifth period started when Batista was overthrown by the communist group led by Castro in 1959 and continues at the present era (Browning). Since the antecedent of Castro era, the freedom of expression was already curtailed. Eventually, the press and media were in conclusion controlled by the government and journalists were not given freedom to voice out their thoughts against the government. The government’s strict control over media started in 1930.\r\nNo independent journalists were freed to release publications which prevail the effect of criticizing the government. During that period, journalists tried to tally the move of the government but to no avail. Finally, in 1990’s through the introduction of Internet, independent journalists exact found new medium to castigate the government’s control of information (Browning). However, the media, private and public, are still under the control of the government. Information distribution is still suffering strict regulation. Independent journalists also continue to struggle and risk their lives for an independent journalism.\r\nIt can be observed that since the evolution of media, the government already held control of it. The changes in phases under several governments have made media limited and restricted. Some of the actions that the government had through with(p) in curtailing free press and flow of information were censorship and closure of newspapers (Browning). Until now, the freedom of information remains evasive and independence of journalists is still obscure to be enjoyed. Current Status of Media in Cuba In Art. 53 of the 1976 Cuban constitution, freedom of press and expression have been explicitly stated.\r\nHowever, such freedom is subjected to limitations as contained in Art. 62 Art. 5, further, contains that all communication should be controlled by the Communist Party for the benefit of the country (Browning). As an effect, information was regulated and controlled by the government. Journalists were also tranquil from publi cizing without the knowledge of the state. Apart from that, journalists were arbitrarily jail for exercising their freedom of expression. Mass media in Cuba is definitely not free. In the field of print media, the nation maintains three newspapers which are fully regulated by the government.\r\nThese nation’s newspapers are Granma, Juventud Rebelde and Trabajadores (Browning). Granma is the official publication of the Communist Party which was founded in 1965 (Browning). Juventud Rebelde usually contains the uniform youth-oriented stories covered in Granma but in simplify and summarized manner. The Trabajadores, on the other hand, is more politically abandoned publication as it contains Marxist principles (Browning). Notably, Granma’s circulation has widened in some other parts of the world through the power of internet.\r\nThe website is called Digital Granma Internacional (Browning). It is also noteworthy that during the wisdom of the press, the Union de Periodis tas de Cuba (Union of Cuban Journalists) was founded in July 15, 1963 (Browning). It is a nongovernment geological formation which engages the membership of professional journalists in order to civilise in distinguished media in the country. However, such organization has already been controlled by the government and its constitution also dictates that editorial line of journalists must follow that of government.\r\nOn this era of technological innovations, independent journalists found internet as a means of voicing out their cries and redress against the Cuban government. However, the control of the government in curtailing unwanted information has also reached the World big Web and several independent journalists have been immure for such exercise of expression. It is noteworthy that 21 journalists have been recorded to have been imprisoned after a closed-door trial (â€Å"Attacks on the mechanical press in 2008”). Among the journalists that suffered the harshness of the state is Yoani Sanchez, 33-year old blogger (â€Å"Attacks on the Press in 2008”).\r\nSanchez, at first, found freedom through her blog called Generation Y which contained observations about hurricane devastation, politically motivated arrest, and food shortages (â€Å"Attacks on the Press in 2008”). Her blog has been read abroad but has also been made known by the government. Thereafter, her passport was confiscated and was not allowed to leave the country. Today, state authorities has started to regulate internet cafes to track down individuals with the purpose of publishing refuse against the government through internet.\r\nAnother independent journalist that has experienced the government’s cruelty is master Rolando Arroyo (â€Å"Cuban Journalist in Second hebdomad of Hunger Strike”). Arroyo, who writes in Union de Periodistas y Escritores de Cuba, was arrested during the fight for independence press in adjoin 2003 (â€Å"Cuban Journalist in S econd week of Hunger Strike”). He caught the world’s attention when he took hunger strike for or so two weeks because of the maltreatment and indecent treatment of prisoners like him.\r\n'