Fault lines over Radio Marti coverage

Posted on Fri, Sep. 15, 2006

Fault lines over Radio Martí coverage
OUR OPINION: OUR GOAL IS TO PROMOTE A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC CUBA

The business of publishing a daily newspaper is full of pitfalls, and
sometimes unintended consequences. That should be obvious to all who
have paid attention to stories in The Miami Herald about journalists who
receive pay from the U.S.-government operated Radio and TV Martí. The
stories have been controversial and, in some cases, every detail and
decision point have been scrutinized to determine a perceived ulterior
motive or intent.

We have never wavered

Yet, this discussion is a good and healthy process, the essence of how a
free press and free speech work in a democracy. For the record, though,
some assertions about this newspaper's positions -- on Cuba and Radio
Martí, for example -- are wrong and should be set right.

Our newspapers have never hesitated or wavered in expressing how evil
and malevolent the Cuban government is. Fidel Castro is among history's
most vile dictators, a man who has murdered innocents, imprisons free
thinkers and crushes the hopes and dreams of millions. Anyone who would
suggest, hint or imply that we would ever take a position that supports
Castro's agenda is mistaken.

Whatever faults there have been in the coverage of this issue -- and we
admit that no story is ever complete or perfect -- it is plain wrong to
infer that The Miami Herald would intentionally try to help the dictator
in Cuba. We want for every Cuban on the island what the people in this
country enjoy every day: free elections, freedom of speech and religion,
and a democratic society.

This is why we have supported Radio Martí from its very inception. After
a long campaign to persuade Florida lawmakers and Congress to pass the
Radio Martí bill, this is what we wrote when the measure finally was
adopted in October 1983: ''Radio Martí is a good idea because it is
needed and because it can combat the communist threat with words, not
bullets. It will have an increasingly important role in parrying the
thrust of inaccuracies, lies and distortion. Thus, Radio Martí will
engage the communists foursquare in the arena of ideas. May it have a
long and useful life.'' Our opinion has not changed.

An independent press

Many question why we feel so fervently about the need for a separation
between our government and our free press. We feel this way because of
the untold benefits of a free press. If Cuba had a free press, if would
be inconceivable that Fidel Castro would still be in power.

Finally, to the speculation that these newspapers' new corporate owner
is pulling the strings, ostensibly to pave the way for a bureau in Cuba:
Not true. Howard Weaver, McClatchy vice president for news, said the
company has no such plans:

``We have no plans to do so. We have not authorized any such approach on
our behalf by any other parties. Any speculation or assertion to the
contrary is simply wrong.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/editorial/15522778.htm