From: Michael Perelman (michael@ECST.CSUCHICO.EDU)
Date: Wed May 28 2003 - 16:35:59 EDT
Maybe we are talking past each other. My understanding is that the broadcasts interfere with the reception of Cuban media. On Wed, May 28, 2003 at 08:26:42PM +0100, Paul Bullock wrote: > Michael, > > Most cubans who have TV can easily get many US programmes and the 'soaps' > are widely viewed. Satelite reception is perfectly common. I suspect it may > be the particular type of broadcast, the frequencies used for a start. The > reason for such broadcasts and their content should be the FIRST question > we should ask. I understand there are various international agreements on > these matters, and unlike the US government Cuba has an excellent record of > maintaining its international agreements. > > Paul. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Michael Eldred" <artefact@T-ONLINE.DE> > To: <OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU> > Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2003 4:49 PM > Subject: Re: Plane beams broadcasts to Cuba > > > > Cologne 28-May-2003 > > > > Paul, > > Why does the Cuban regime resort to such measures as jamming? Why is > > this suppression of free speech necessary? Is the Cuban populace so > > susceptible to US propaganda and the regime so lacking in firm support > > amongst the population? > > > > I know from (former) East German friends how much they resented being > > "shielded" from Western propaganda. It was illegal in East Germany to > > watch West German TV or listen to West German radio. That does not say > > much for real-existing socialism as long as it existed. > > > > Michael > > _-_-_-_-_-_-_- artefact text and translation _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ > > _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- made by art _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ > > http://www.webcom.com/artefact/ _-_-_-_-artefact@webcom.com _-_ > > _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Dr Michael Eldred -_-_- > > _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ > > > > > > Paul Bullock schrieb Tue, 27 May 2003 18:51:52 +0100: > > > > > Subject: Plane beams broadcasts to Cuba > > > > > > Plane beams broadcasts to Cuba > > > BY TIM JOHNSON > > > tjohnson@herald.com > > > > > > WASHINGTON - On orders from the White House, the Pentagon deployed a > special airplane this week to beam the signals of Radio and TV Mart? to > Cuba, using a technology that one administration official said ''breached > the wall'' of Cuban jamming efforts. > > > > > > ''The political green light is on'' to make the controversial > U.S.-operated stations more effective at reaching Cubans, said the senior > official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. > > > > > > An Air Force EC-130 plane conducted the transmissions between 6:30 p.m. > and 10 p.m. Tuesday, several officials said. It operated within U.S. > airspace, not passing into Cuban territory. > > > > > > Cuba acknowledged that the United States had altered its normal > transmissions of the two stations, but said they were ineffective and hinted > that the Castro government might retaliate. > > > > > > ''Those transmissions did not constitute a technical success to be proud > of. Very few [Cubans] heard the noise,'' an editorial in the Communist Party > newspaper Granma said. > > > > > > ''The government of the United States should not forget that Cuban radio > might be heard on standard frequency in many American states,'' the > editorial added. > > > > > > The statement appeared to suggest that Cuba might consider boosting the > power of its own radio stations, a move that could disrupt the broadcasts of > commercial radio stations in South Florida. > > > > > > Radio and TV Mart? have been controversial endeavors, popular with many > Cuban Americans who want Cubans on the island to receive alternative sources > of information. But the two stations have been plagued by morale problems. > They get little congressional oversight and are generally seen as > ineffective in penetrating the jamming by the Castro regime. > > > > > > Radio Mart? began broadcasting in 1985 on medium wave and short wave. In > the past several years, criticism has soared that its programming had become > stale -- sometimes lacking in elemental news judgment. In May 2002, Radio > Mart? delayed a broadcast of a historic speech in Havana by former President > Jimmy Carter calling for political change. > > > > > > On April 1, the White House replaced Radio Mart?'s chief, Salvador Lew, > with another executive, Pedro Roig. > > > > > > Among recent changes to brighten the station's programming are > broadcasts of Major League baseball games. > > > > > > A White House statement said the Tuesday night broadcasts ``used a > transmission platform that we believe is not susceptible to Cuban jamming. > We are currently evaluating the results of that transmission.'' > > > > > > The administration did not say how often it would use the EC-130 plane > to beam the radio and TV signals. > > > > > > ''We may not want to do it every day,'' the official said. ''We realize > this puts some binds on the audience.'' But he said the administration will > allot the money necessary to make the signals more effective on a constant > basis. > > > > > > Both Radio and TV Mart? have transmitted from the Florida Keys. The TV > Mart? signal is sent from a balloon tethered 10,000 feet above Cudjoe Key at > a low angle toward Cuba that is easily blocked. > > > > > > The EC-130 aircraft used in the test Tuesday is the same type of > aircraft that beamed signals to Iraqis during the war, a Pentagon official > said. > > > > > > > > > > > -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail michael@ecst.csuchico.edu
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