Cuban Journalism Must Encourage Critical Thinking

Cuba needs a journalism which is ethical and revolutionary and that defends social justice and encourages the people’s critical thinking, said Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel as he closed the 11th Congress of the Cuban Journalists’ Association (UPEC).

In his closing remarks of the event, the First Secretary of Cuba’s Communist Party referred to the need to improve the Cuban media work amidst the current tense scenario facing the country.

The head of state said that the country is undergoing shortage of resources which affects all sectors of society including the media.

As to the credibility and legitimacy of the media, Diaz-Canel said that the problems affecting society and the good practices must have a better treatment by the press. He added however that the people’s trust in the Cuban press is also being targeted by constant enemy media campaigns.
The head of state also said that a recently approved Social Communication Law is a legal tool that is not only relevant to the media but also to the people and the digital space.

The new law offers guidelines and ideas for the improvement of Cuban journalism, so that social communication along science, innovation and digital transformation keep being the pillars of the Cuban nation.

As to an ongoing experiment aimed at changing the Cuban public media model, he said that the initiative requires funding and management improvement of the media institutions, but it will not solve all the inefficiencies prevailing in the sector.

The editorial and economic management must not only pursue more revenues but also better quality of journalistic work, said the President.

As to the journalists’ organization, Diaz-Canel said that they have the compromise to look after the new media model being claimed, which must be authentic and led by the young people, skilled with professional and digital values. Diaz-Canel said that the Cuban press must address human values and use critique.