This is in response to the Feb. 15 editorial “Tune out Radio and TV Marti.” The Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) was established in 1990 to oversee the operations of Radio Marti, which has been broadcasting to Cuba since 1985, and the newly formed TV Marti. In keeping with the principles of the VOA charter, both stations broadcast accurate and objective news and information on issues of interest to the people of Cuba.
The OCB underwent significant changes during the past year. Pursuant to legislation passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton, a physical relocation of the entire operation from Washington, D.C., to Miami was completed in August of 1998, prior to schedule and under the estimated budget. In addition new programming initiatives were implemented to meet the challenges of an emerging civil society inside Cuba.
Traditional means of audience research in closed societies are not necessarily an exact science, especially in countries such as Cuba, where the mere act of dissent can be subject to a prison term of up to 20 years. But even under the most pessimistic scenario, the audience of Radio Marti is among the highest, percentage wise, among the International Broadcasting Bureau’s entities. Furthermore the effectiveness of OCB’s broadcasts is not only measured by the hundreds of calls and contacts with Cubans inside the island who depend on OCB’s transmissions for factual information otherwise denied by their government. Effectiveness is also measured by the disproportionate effort of the Cuban government to interfere, sometimes successfully, with Radio and TV Marti’s signal.
The OCB is committed to the VOA Charter to provide news and information, which is accurate, objective and balanced. Therefore OCB management will take the final Office of the Inspector General’s recommendations seriously–not incomplete and inaccurate excerpts from a draft that may have been reported–and take the necessary steps to address any concerns. Furthermore OCB, like any other governmental entity, will strengthen its weak links and emphasize its strengths in order to continue providing, as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said, “broadcasting that conveys not lies but facts.”
