Radiocuba: 25 years broadcasting our truth

You will not see them in the credits of any TV or radio program, but without the hard work of Radiocuba’s men and women, it would be impossible for people to listen to information and embrace culture and entertainment.

And today, Radiocuba (Cuba’s Radiocommunication and Broadcasting Company) —the only one of its kind in Cuba— is celebrating its 25^th anniversary and richly deserves an enthusiastic round of applause.

However, they do not work for fame. On the contrary, they are all aware of the huge importance of what they do, resulting in 25 years of steady streaming for Cuba and the rest of the world, by offering technical support to radio and television and running high-complexity engineering projects in the field of radiocommunication.

With the purpose of boosting the informatization of the Cuban society, they guarantee the operation, stability and vitality of the broadcasting technological network, signal transport, radio link and automation, which are permanently developing, leading to the broadcasting of national television channels, provincial channels and community television stations.

Simultaneously, this company —subordinate to the Ministry of Communication— also helps the Cuban radio in the broadcasting of 100+ national, international, provincial, local and community radio stations in Medium Wave (MW) and Frequency Modulation (FM). Powerful broadcasting stations, which allow radio broadcasting overseas via Short Wave (SW), cover North and South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Mediterranean.

For Radiocuba’s workers, “thinking about the nation’s welfare is to love what we do; is to contribute to society with our job.” So they say in their Facebook profile and prove it each day with concrete actions either by working with servers, monitoring equipment, or by going through impassable roads to take the signal to zones of silence, close to the sky from the soaring towers.

Before the threat of bad weather, hurricanes, they go and get the receiving antenna off to protect them from the wind, to protect the equipment; and now, before the threat of COVID-19, they remain in place caring for all health and sanitary measures and convinced of the importance of being well-informed. Guaranteeing the information to the people also means to close ranks against the pandemic.

No, tower workers will never be part of the credits of any TV or radio program. But they are committed to guarantee the signal is on the air from anonymity.

Informatization, digitalization, technological revolution… all are part of Radiocuba in its contribution to the communication sector of Cuba amid hard conditions —getting harder every minute— caused by the blockade imposed by the US government on our island affecting this sector as well.

But amid those hardship, this committed army rejoices every time its workers manage to spread the signal a little further to benefit those living in the mountains and remote areas.  

With the illusion of one who knows his contribution to a better life quality, last August a message could be found in Facebook: “A queen is born in San Pablo de Yao…she is still a small 9-meters baby. But she will grow up day by day…You will see her very soon opening her arms to children, teenagers and adults from TV Serrana, a digital gift longed by everyone…Radiocuba and ICRT (Cuban Institute of Radio and Television), working together, aiming for more.”

This post made reference to the start-up of the HD digital signal transmitter, which will benefit several communities in Sierra Maestra with this television signal.

On the other end of the island, next month, the brigade of tower workers of Pinar del Río provided maintenance at La Bajada, Guanahacabibes, to a 54-meters high tower.  

And these are the routines for Radiocuba in all of its Territorial Divisions, where experienced workers merge with novel, enthusiastic ones.

They are a great group of workers with plenty of dedication, naturalness and commitment. As Cuba’s minister of Communication tweeted: “Radiocuba celebrates today its 25^th anniversary and they do it broadcasting our truth.”

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff