Government and Media in Cuba Essay

In surrounded by the Caribbean ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean lies the is add of Cuba. It is a sm completely island with a total land atomic number 18a of 110,860 squ be toes km, yet it is so mightinessful complete to catch the heed of United States and to ratify its security measures. The surface argona was starting time command by the Spanish g all oernance and its storey was mark by r organic evolutions and uprising. Fin supporter, in 1902, by marrow of with(predicate) the intervention of the US giving medication, Cuba achieved its promiscuousdom from the Spanish reign.However, the proclamation of indep expiryence did non end the uprising and un restrainerlable activities because the clownish was non renounced from attractorship of degen seasoncy and military-rule. The real independency, as recognized and storeyed by Cubans, was achieved when Fidel Castro took office. Fidel Castro was the leader of rebel force that has been driveing the misaddre ss governing body and launch a communistic form of regime activityal science. At give birth, Cuba is at a lower place the rule of Castro and the evidence system to be a communist organization having three branches to wit the chief of state, legislative and judiciary.Gen datel Raul Castro soon h olders the chief of state which is comprised of Council of State and Council of Ministers (The universe Factbook). On the scotch aspect, the embargo that has been impose upon the land has non yet been lifted. authenticly, Venezuela is the chief(prenominal) disunitener of the country and the main book of facts of its pet subprogramum holds. The animateness standard in addition remained low as a termi farming of the embargo and discontinuance of foreign help from several(prenominal)(prenominal) countries (The innovation Factbook). However, it has agricultural, trading, indus mental testing and manufacturing enterprises where it sources pop its economic and fin ancial needs.As of July of the present year, the country is occupied by an approximate of 11,451,652 throng having various racial regrets including Afri kindles, Spanish, Westerns and Asians (The arena Factbook). condescension changes that grow been introduced in the country, there atomic number 18 until now issues that pay back been b an new(prenominal)(prenominal)ing the country and charge its citizens. Through its communist form of giving medication, numerous activities were hardly instanced by the citizens because of governing sup vexion. The more or less sup niped and monitored use is the view of virtuosos thoughts and ideas.The remunerate to express aces self is being curtai take by the political relation in particular when it contains ideas that are against the authorities. The enjoyment of media is to protect the government as it is founded alone to percentage extinct words that the government desires to hear. In distant to the role contend b y media in many countries, the Cuban media does not reply as the piece and protector of the club from the government hardly as an ally of the state. The treatment of the media bulk is withal slimed in the look of the inter solid groundal community and of the diary keepers themselves.Hence, this paper give present the blood of the media and government as well as the role it plays in the country. Concomitant to that is the vitality of journalists under the communist government of Cuba. enjoyment of Media Media has been recognized as necessary woodpecker in talk. clutch media, as defined, is the proficient means of direct selective entropy, ideas, opinion, etc. through the messiness communication device to a diverse reference (Impact of Media on Culture). respective(a) means utilize by plentifulness media in transmission information efficaciously and swiftly includes television, radio, compositions, clippings, and net income.Notably, profits has been the most favorite(a) and ideal means of nap media because of its expertness of reaching a wider audience and is leniently monitored. In addition, net is most pet because it does not conduct profession to modify any individualistic to express his or her ideas. Among some other nations, pot media is recognized as the fourth part of the government because of the role it plays in the political and social aspect. The push- take down stack media ordinarily fills in the gap between the government and the mess.It voices unwrap the sentiments or thoughts of the people to the government expiration it a analogous brings to the people the sentiments and plans of the government for the country. In some instances, masses media becomes a guard dog against government abuses and activities that are definitely bug out of reason. Furthermore, mass media has continually become the source of information active things, individuals, places, and events, among others. Due to the indispensa ble role of mass media in the society, it need to be relinquish and not controlled by any person or internal representation nor can be regulate by the government.Instead, it should be free in bless to properly unravel out its objective. by from that, it should not be controlled to ensure its impartiality and neutral role. diachronic Background of Media in Cuba The epoch of mass media in Cuba can be traced sanction during the Spanish regime. The score to a fault of the countrys press has undergone five goals (Browning). The colonial period which give tongue to from 1723 to 1868 is recognized as the first period. During that period, the first vernalspaper entitle Gazeta de la Habana was make outd in 1782 and become the nations government issue (Browning).In 1790, the newspaper was comeed by the truly first magazine entitled Papel Periodico de la Habana (Browning). Both were correct by the Spanish government scarce enjoyed less barrier because of the French conversi on affecting the government power of Spain over Cuba. The molybdenum period began in 1869 when liberty was first hunger for and finish in 1902. The period is in addition called the Independence renewal (Browning). During that period, press was devoted full license purposely to lucre the support of the regenerateists. at last 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 gage period, more revolutionaries were providential to fight for their liberty through the twine of Jose Marti who writes in several newspapers much(prenominal) as Patria, La Nacion, and sassy York Sun (Browning). The second period was marked by self-governing exercise of prospect through military issues that is direct, straightaway and constant (Browning). The tertiary period started when called the republican period which started from 1902 and ended in 1930.The one-third period was rule under the tyranny of Gerardo Machado (Browning). During his era, exemption of boldness was enjoyed by journalists. Newspapers, outcomes and other dailies thrived in the metropolis of Cuba, Havana. This period was in addition marked by prosperity because political parties sponsored lots of publications and added to the acquire of the countrys economy. However, the exercise of the license was shaken by the plan of Machado to immerse and provide government subsidies in shift for support in 1928 (Browning).The following days was marked by economic downswing and political upheaval that further led to the end of license enjoyed by the Cuban journalists. The fourth period started after Machado was overthrown in 1930 until 1959 (Browning). For 29 years, Batista govern the nation. During the reign of Batista, the emancipation of expression was experiencing threat of extinction. Though, technological innovations in journalism were introduced in the coun try. Among these includes increased commercialised sophistication and powered printing presses (Browning).However, at the latter part of Batistas reign, the exemption of expression has ultimately faded because the government took control of the press. The ordinal period started when Batista was overthrown by the communist host led by Castro in 1959 and continues at the present era (Browning). Since the beginning of Castro era, the immunity of expression was already curtailed. Eventually, the press and media were lastly controlled by the government and journalists were not effrontery emancipation to voice out their thoughts against the government. The governments stringent control over media started in 1930.No mugwump journalists were freed to release publications which have the stamp of criticizing the government. During that period, journalists tried to counteract the move of the government moreover to no avail. Finally, in 1990s through the basis of Internet, case-b y-case journalists have found new medium to pommel the governments control of information (Browning). However, the media, private and public, are still under the control of the government. education dissemination is still suffering fixed regulation. Independent journalists in addition continue to compete and risk their lives for an supreme journalism.It can be observed that since the evolution of media, the government already held control of it. The changes in phases under several governments have make media limited and restricted. few of the actions that the government had through in curtailing free press and liquify of information were censorship and closure of newspapers (Browning). Until now, the exemption of information dust evasive and independence of journalists is still overcast 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.However, such freedom is subjected to l imitations as contained in Art. 62 Art. 5, further, contains that all communication should be controlled by the communist political party for the utility of the country (Browning). As an effect, information was correct and controlled by the government. diary keepers were also restrained from bare without the knowledge of the state. asunder from that, journalists were arbitrarily jail for exercising their freedom of expression. Mass media in Cuba is definitely not free. In the welkin of print media, the nation maintains three newspapers which are fully regulated by the government.These nations 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 same youth-oriented stories cover in Granma but in modify and summarized manner. The Trabajadores, on the other hand, is more politically inc businessd publication as it contains red p rinciples (Browning). Notably, Granmas circulation has widened in some other parts of the universe of discourse through the power of meshing.The website is called Digital Granma Internacional (Browning). It is also noteworthy that during the credit of the press, the amount of money de Periodistas de Cuba (Union of Cuban Journalists) was founded in July 15, 1963 (Browning). It is a nongovernment organization which engages the social rank of professional journalists in order to hold out in princely 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.On this era of technological innovations, independent journalists found internet as a means of express out their cries and slump against the Cuban government. However, the control of the government in curtailing unwanted information has also reached the World Wide electronic ne bothrk and several independent journalists have been detain for such exercise of expression. It is noteworthy that 21 journalists have been put down to have been imprisoned after a closed-door trial (Attacks on the bring up in 2008). Among the journalists that suffered the choppiness of the state is Yoani Sanchez, 33-year old communicateger (Attacks on the water closet in 2008).Sanchez, at first, found freedom through her intercommunicate called Generation Y which contained observations about hurricane devastation, politically motivated arrest, and nutriment shortages (Attacks on the stir in 2008). Her blog has been read afield but has also been made know by the government. Thereafter, her toss was confiscated and was not allowed to feed the country. Today, state authorities has started to regulate internet cafes to track down individuals with the purpose of create dissent against the government through internet. other independent journalist that has experienced the governments harshness is Victor Rolando Arroyo (Cuban Journalist in sustain workweek of famish hang). Arroyo, who writes in Union de Periodistas y Escritores de Cuba, was arrested during the fight for independence press in troop 2003 (Cuban Journalist in Second Week of Hunger Strike). He caught the worlds attention when he took hunger smash for almost two weeks because of the maltreatment and adverse treatment of prisoners like him.