Re: Plane beams broadcasts to Cuba

From: Paul Bullock (paulbullock@EBMS-LTD.CO.UK)
Date: Thu May 29 2003 - 17:36:55 EDT


Dera Michael P,

I was still addressing Michael E... your own short comment was right on the
mark.

Cheers

Paul Bullock

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Perelman" <michael@ECST.CSUCHICO.EDU>
To: <OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2003 9:35 PM
Subject: Re: Plane beams broadcasts to Cuba


> 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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