Thursday, October 27, 2016

Independent Media Is Changing Cuba

A woman uses public WiFi to connect her phone in a street of Havana (AFP Photo/Adalberto Roque)

AFP: In Cuba, online media pry open state grip on news

Havana (AFP) - Abraham, Elaine and Jose are under 30, and they've pulled off the unthinkable in Cuba -- they are producing online news, prying open the state's half-century grip on the media.

The Castro government created a crack in the Cuban media wall, allowing this small revolution, when it opened up internet access to the public in 2013.

What followed was a progressive rollout of 200 Wi-Fi hotspots across the Caribbean island of 11.2 million people.

Access is limited. Few Cubans can afford the sky-high connections fees of $2 per hour and the government only rarely authorizes an internet connection at home.

Still, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists counts about 3,000 blogs and portals dedicated to Cuba that are published on the island or by Cubans living abroad.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This is big. And while it will take time for it to spread .... it will impact internal Cuban politics. My prediction .... after the death of the Castro brothers .... I give it another 10 years before available and affordable internet access will be permitted by the Cuban government.

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