The mass media in Cuba consists of television, radio, newspapers, and internet. The media are tightly controlled by the Cuban government, led by the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) since 1959. The PCC strictly censors news, information and commentary, and restricts dissemination of foreign publications to tourist hotels. Journalists must operate within the confines of laws prohibiting anti-government propaganda and insulting officials, which carry penalties of up to three years in prison. Private ownership of broadcast media is prohibited, and all media outlets are state-owned.
Newspapers
Cuba has several dozen online regional newspapers. The only national daily paper is Granma, the official organ of the PCC. A weekly version, Granma International, is published in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Turkish and German, available online. Havana residents also have their own weekly, Havana-oriented paper, Tribuna de La Habana. The weekly Juventud Rebelde is the official organ of the Communist Youth Union. The biweekly Bohemia is the country's only general-interest newsmagazine. Cuba's official news agency is Prensa Latina, which publishes several magazines, including Cuba Internacional, directed at the foreign audience.Cuba country profile. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (September 2006). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Granma regularly features speeches by Raúl Castro and other leaders of the Cuban government, including former President Fidel Castro's column, "Reflexiones de Fidel" (Fidel's Reflections), official announcements of the Cuban government, popular sketches highlighting the history of Cuba's revolutionary struggle from the 19th to the 21st century, developments in Latin America and world politics, steps by Cuba's workers and farmers to defend and advance the socialist revolution, and developments in industry, agriculture, science, the arts, and sports in Cuba today.
The Prensa Latina was founded shortly after the Cuban Revolution. The agency was founded at the initiative of Ernesto Che Guevara similarly to Agencia Latina founded by Juan Perón in Argentina, to spread government ideology and neutralize American propaganda. The written press began in Cuba in 1764 with La Gazeta, followed by the Papel Periódico de La Habana (Havana Periodical Paper) in 1790. Cuba currently has several newspapers, including the following:
National circulation NameHeadquartersCirculationFoundedWebsiteGranmaHavanaDaily (except on Sundays)4 October 1965granma.cuJuventud RebeldeHavanaDaily (except on Mondays)21 October 1965juventudrebelde.cuTrabajadoresHavanaWeekly6 June 1970trabajadores.cu
Provincial circulation Each of Cuba's 16 provinces has a regional weekly, which acts as the official newspaper published by each provincial Communist Party branch. The two most recently launched, El Artemiseño and Mayabeque, began publication in 2011, to serve the newly formed provinces of Artemisa and Mayabeque.
Each weekly has its own website with local news, updated daily, which offers weekly print editions for free download in the PDF format. Some also publish online editions in English. NameProvinceCirculationFoundedWebsiteSierra MaestraSantiago de CubaWeekly7 September 1957 sierramaestra.cuAdelanteCamagüeyWeekly12 January 1959 adelante.cuGuerrilleroPinar del RíoWeekly6 July 1960guerrillero.cuGirónMatanzasWeekly5 December 1961giron.cuVenceremosGuantánamoWeekly25 July 1962venceremos.cuVanguardiaVilla ClaraWeekly9 August 1962vanguardia.cuAhora!HolguínWeekly19 November 1962ahora.cuVictoriaIsla de la JuventudWeekly20 February 1967periodicovictoria.cuLa DemajaguaGranmaWeekly10 October 1977lademajagua.cuPeriódico 26Las TunasWeekly26 July 1978periodico26.cuEscambraySancti SpíritusWeekly4 January 1979escambray.cuInvasorCiego de ÁvilaWeekly26 July 1979invasor.cu5 de SeptiembreCienfuegosWeekly5 September 19805septiembre.cuTribuna de La HabanaHavanaWeekly7 October 1980tribuna.cuEl ArtemiseñoArtemisaWeekly11 January 2011artemisadiario.cuMayabequeMayabequeWeekly11 January 2011diariomayabeque.cu
Role of the Church Although the press is publicly owned, magazines and bulletins owned by the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations are also published and available to any Cuban citizen. In Havana, the Catholic Church publishes magazines such as Palabra Nueva and Espacio Laical monthly. In the diocese of Pinar del Río, Vitral is published bimonthly. These magazines and bulletins include religious instruction and news from the church. The bulletin with the highest circulation is Vida cristiana, published weekly in Havana; it reaches the majority of Catholics in the country. Today, the Church seeks to expand to different forms of media such as television and radio which it currently has no access.
Radio
In 2005 Cubans had at least 3.9 million radio receivers, and the country had 169 AM, and 55 FM stations. The Cuban Institute of Radio and Television serves as the government's administrative outlet for broadcasting. Of the six national AM/FM radio networks, the top three are Radio Progreso, Radio Reloj, and Radio Rebelde, in that order. Two other national radio networks that also provide news and entertainment are Radio Musical Nacional (CMBF) and Radio Enciclopedia. Another station, Radio Taíno, promotes tourism. The Cuban government also operates Radio Havana, the official Cuban international short-wave radio service. Cuba's restriction of foreign broadcast media is one reason the U.S. government has sponsored radio broadcasting into Cuba through Radio y Televisión Martí, much of which is jammed.
Before the Cuban Revolution Cuba was one of the first countries in the Americas to have radio service. In 1922, under the cooperation of the US-based International Telephone and Telegraph, the first radio station in the country (2LC) began broadcasts on 22 August. The radio stations in the country were developed by private initiatives, and its programming was initially based on news and entertainment.
Businessman Goar Mestre started construction of Radio Center, inspired by the Radio City in New York. Mestre began broadcasts on Channel 6 (CMQ) on December 18 of that year. Under Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship censorship was imposed. Radio's primary purpose in Cuba was to enhance the "high culture" education of the Cuban citizen.
Radio stations and networks included: Cadena Oriental de Radio Circuito Nacional Cubano (1954–1959) CMBF COCQ COCX Radio Mil Diez PWX (later CMQ) Radio Habana Cuba (RHC) Radio Progreso Radio Reloj (est. 1947) Sabates Union Radio (est. 1947)
During and after the Cuban Revolution Soon after the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Fidel Castro's government applied a series of measures that transformed all national media. Rebelde, the first radio station developed under the revolution, started broadcasting on February 24.
During the early years of the revolution there was a division between the mainstream media in Cuba, created with private capital that opposed the new political situation. A series of small radio stations in favor of the new government, organized an "Independent Front of Free Broadcasters" (Spanish: Frente Independiente de Emisoras Libres). These radio stations were recognized as official by the new government. The government would develop a Bureau of Broadcasting under the political leadership of the PCC. Radio stations in the country were completely put under state control on May 24, 1962, under the management of the newly established Cuban Broadcasting Institute. Under the new broadcasting system, all media were to meet a set of values established by the government to strengthen the political process in the country, some names of radio stations were changed, and the coverage of radio services were extended to reach the whole country. In 1975, the agency changed its name to the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television.
Censorship Cubans cannot watch or listen to independent, private, or foreign broadcasts. In 1963, using Soviet-supplied equipment, Cuba became the first nation in the Western Hemisphere to jam radio broadcasts, the apparent targets being the anti-Castro stations in the US.
Current radio channels Radio Rebelde – news, music, sport Radio Reloj – news Radio Habana Cuba – external, languages include Spanish, English, French, Portuguese Radio Progreso – entertainment
Television
In 2005 Cubans had at least 3 million television sets, and the country had 58 TV broadcasting stations. The Cuban Institute of Radio and Television serves as the government's administrative outlet for broadcasting. The Cuban television system is made up of two networks: Cubavisión and Tele Rebelde. Cuba's restriction of foreign broadcast media is one reason the U.S. government has sponsored television broadcasting into Cuba through Radio y Televisión Martí, much of which is jammed.
Before the Cuban Revolution Cuba was one of the first countries in the Americas to have television service. The popularity of radio led to the development and launch of television stations. The first years of television in Cuba were marked by a climate of competitiveness between two Cuban businessmen backed by US companies, Gaspar Pumarejo and Goar Mestre. Mestre started construction of Radio Center, inspired by the Radio City in New York, while Pumarejo tried to develop a television studio in his own home. Pumarejo's channel (Unión Radio Televisión) was the first TV channel to start broadcasts in the island; it began broadcasting on 24 October 1950 with an address by President Carlos Prío Socarrás from the Presidential Palace. Mestre began broadcasts on Channel 6 (CMQ) on December 18 of that year. Telenovelas, news, cooking shows, and comedy groups were shown. After Union Radio TV went on the air, Cuban demand for television sets soared. Under Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship censorship was imposed. Television's primary purpose in Cuba was to enhance the "high culture" education of the Cuban citizen.
During and after the Cuban Revolution Soon after the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Fidel Castro's government applied a series of measures that transformed all national media. Television channels in the country were completely put under state control on May 24, 1962, under the management of the newly established Cuban Broadcasting Institute. Under the new broadcasting system, all media were to meet a set of values established by the government to strengthen the political process in the country, some names of TV stations were changed, and the coverage of the TV services were extended to reach the whole country. In 1975, the agency changed its name to the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television.
TV channels Cubavision Portal de la TV Cubana ←
Internet
Sources of independent news about Cuba can be found on the Internet. They include La Nueva Cuba, founded in 1998, Havana Times, founded in 2008 and edited in Nicaragua, and 14ymedio, founded in 2014. Another, El Toque won some awards for its coverage in 2023, along with editor-in-chief José J. Nieves. Its coverage has been criticized by the Cuban government.
Cuba has one of the lowest Internet circulation rates in the Western hemisphere. The Cuban Internet is characterized by a low number of connections, limited bandwidth, censorship and high cost. The Internet in Cuba stagnated since its introduction in 1996 due to several factors: a lack of funding due to the devastation of Cuba's economy after the fall of the Soviet Union the U.S. embargo which delayed construction infrastructure and made equipment expensive and difficult to obtain tight government restrictions which identified the Internet as a tool for subversion of the Cuban Revolution