TV Martí
Encyclopedia
TV Martí was created by the US government
to provide news and current affairs programming to Cuba
. It is named after Cuban independence leader José Martí
, and is the television equivalent to Radio Marti
.
(IBB) with its complement Radio Martí
. The sister elements of TV Martí in the IBB are Voice of America
(VoA), Radio Sawa
, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
(RFE/RL), and Radio Free Asia
. The IBB and the Broadcasting Board of Governors
are independent federal entities spun off from the now defunct U.S. Information Agency.
balloon located 10,000 feet (3,048 m) above Cudjoe Key, Florida
.http://ibb7-2.ibb.gov/pubaff/ocbfact.html As a result of Hurricane Dennis
, the broadcasting aerostat (which the locals named "Fat Albert") was destroyed by wind.
the signals.
National Public Radio's On the Media
has pointed out that while "the U.S. has spent close to a half billion dollars on TV and Radio Marti, the Cuban government has managed to effectively block the transmission signal, at least on the TV side. Viewership on the island is estimated to be a third of one percent. One study several years ago found that nine out of ten Cubans had never even heard of the channel." http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_081806_e.html
According to a January 10, 2007 episode of the news and commentary program Democracy Now!, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CRE) called for a congressional investigation into the legality of broadcasting Radio and TV Marti over commercial airwaves from southern Florida. The group states that the Bush administration has reached an agreement with two south Florida commercial Spanish language TV and radio stations to broadcast the TV Marti program, which the CRE accuses the US government of illegally paying the station $200,000 to air the Radio Marti program daily for six months, citing that U.S law prohibits broadcasting of propaganda inside the country.
Democracy Now! went on to state that a senior TV Marti executive was indicted by federal prosecutors for providing kickbacks in trade for certain contracts and the Inspector General's office has launched a review into the operations of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting which oversees Marti. In addition, the program indicates that Massachusetts Congressman William Delahunt has also promised to hold hearings on TV Marti.
TV Marti airs half-hour early and late evening newscasts, but the channel is also carried on DirecTV
, which is pirated by many Cuban civilians. A low-power Miami TV channel, WGEN-LD, Virtual digital Channel 8.1 (RF digital Channel 45.1), carries TV Marti's half-hour early and late evening newscasts and other programming. http://uscpublicdiplomacy.com/index.php/newsroom/pdblog_detail/070104_tv_radio_marti_boost_their_volume_to_cuba_expanding_their_services.
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
to provide news and current affairs programming to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. It is named after Cuban independence leader José Martí
José Martí
José Julián Martí Pérez was a Cuban national hero and an important figure in Latin American literature. In his short life he was a poet, an essayist, a journalist, a revolutionary philosopher, a translator, a professor, a publisher, and a political theorist. He was also a part of the Cuban...
, and is the television equivalent to Radio Marti
Radio Martí
Radio y Televisión Martí is a radio and television broadcaster based in Miami, Florida, financed by the United States government , which transmits Spanish radio broadcasts to Cuba...
.
History
It began broadcasting on March 27, 1990. Currently TV Martí is an element of the International Broadcasting BureauInternational Broadcasting Bureau
The International Broadcasting Bureau is an entity within the Broadcasting Board of Governors , which is a U.S. independent agency. The IBB supports the day-to-day operations of Voice of America and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting...
(IBB) with its complement Radio Martí
Radio Martí
Radio y Televisión Martí is a radio and television broadcaster based in Miami, Florida, financed by the United States government , which transmits Spanish radio broadcasts to Cuba...
. The sister elements of TV Martí in the IBB are Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
(VoA), Radio Sawa
Radio Sawa
Radio Sawa is a 24-hour 7-day-a-week Arabic language radio station broadcasting in the Arab world. The station is a service of theMiddle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. and is publicly funded by the Broadcasting Board of Governors and the U.S. Congress...
, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress that provides news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East "where the free flow of information is either banned by government authorities or not fully developed"...
(RFE/RL), and Radio Free Asia
Radio Free Asia
Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation that operates a radio station and Internet news service. RFA was founded by an act of the US Congress and is operated by the Broadcasting Board of Governors . The RFA is supported in part by grants from the federal government of the United States...
. The IBB and the Broadcasting Board of Governors
Broadcasting Board of Governors
The Broadcasting Board of Governors is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for all non-military, international broadcasting sponsored by the U.S government. It was previously a department within the United States Information Agency until 1999.-Origins:Starting in...
are independent federal entities spun off from the now defunct U.S. Information Agency.
Transmission network
TV Martí broadcasts daily programs in Spanish via a transmitter affixed to an aerostatAerostat
An aerostat is a craft that remains aloft primarily through the use of buoyant lighter than air gases, which impart lift to a vehicle with nearly the same overall density as air. Aerostats include free balloons, airships, and moored balloons...
balloon located 10,000 feet (3,048 m) above Cudjoe Key, Florida
Cudjoe Key, Florida
Cudjoe Key is a census-designated place in Monroe County, Florida, on an island of the same name in the lower Florida Keys. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 1,695.It was originally called Littleton Island....
.http://ibb7-2.ibb.gov/pubaff/ocbfact.html As a result of Hurricane Dennis
Hurricane Dennis
Hurricane Dennis was an early-forming major hurricane in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico during the very active 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Dennis was the fourth named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season...
, the broadcasting aerostat (which the locals named "Fat Albert") was destroyed by wind.
Controversy
The Cuban government has insisted the penetration of their airwaves violates international law. This claim has not been elucidated; however, Cuba responds to these broadcasts by jammingRadio jamming
Radio jamming is the transmission of radio signals that disrupt communications by decreasing the signal to noise ratio. Unintentional jamming occurs when an operator transmits on a busy frequency without first checking whether it is in use, or without being able to hear stations using the frequency...
the signals.
National Public Radio's On the Media
On the Media
On the Media is an hour-long weekly radio program, hosted by Bob Garfield and Brooke Gladstone, covering journalism, technology, and First Amendment issues. It is produced by WNYC in New York City...
has pointed out that while "the U.S. has spent close to a half billion dollars on TV and Radio Marti, the Cuban government has managed to effectively block the transmission signal, at least on the TV side. Viewership on the island is estimated to be a third of one percent. One study several years ago found that nine out of ten Cubans had never even heard of the channel." http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_081806_e.html
According to a January 10, 2007 episode of the news and commentary program Democracy Now!, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CRE) called for a congressional investigation into the legality of broadcasting Radio and TV Marti over commercial airwaves from southern Florida. The group states that the Bush administration has reached an agreement with two south Florida commercial Spanish language TV and radio stations to broadcast the TV Marti program, which the CRE accuses the US government of illegally paying the station $200,000 to air the Radio Marti program daily for six months, citing that U.S law prohibits broadcasting of propaganda inside the country.
Democracy Now! went on to state that a senior TV Marti executive was indicted by federal prosecutors for providing kickbacks in trade for certain contracts and the Inspector General's office has launched a review into the operations of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting which oversees Marti. In addition, the program indicates that Massachusetts Congressman William Delahunt has also promised to hold hearings on TV Marti.
TV Marti airs half-hour early and late evening newscasts, but the channel is also carried on DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
, which is pirated by many Cuban civilians. A low-power Miami TV channel, WGEN-LD, Virtual digital Channel 8.1 (RF digital Channel 45.1), carries TV Marti's half-hour early and late evening newscasts and other programming. http://uscpublicdiplomacy.com/index.php/newsroom/pdblog_detail/070104_tv_radio_marti_boost_their_volume_to_cuba_expanding_their_services.