Broadcasting ideas most Cubans can't see

A passionate defense
In response to the critics, Mascaro argued that any assessment of the number of radio listeners and TV viewers in Cuba is inherently flawed, because of the difficulties in gathering accurate poll information in such a controlled society.

At the same time, he pointed to a U.S. State Department inspection report that suggested TV Marti viewership might actually be rising now, because of the aircraft broadcasts. And he said surveys taken by the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, and interviews with Cuban immigrants recently arriving in the United States suggest that TV Marti is being seen, and that Radio Marti is a well-known brand name.

While conceding that even those methods are potentially inaccurate, Mascaro said perhaps the best barometer of TV and Radio Marti's impact is the harsh reaction to them from the Cuban government, itself.

"If we were not effective, they would not protest," he said. "For many years, TV Marti was not even talked about within the Cuban media. When the planes started flying, when we got on DIRECTV, they started yelling about it. That to me is a clear measure of effectiveness."

Mascaro also pointed out that the stations broadcasting to Cuba are funded by Congress and follow U.S. law. He also argued that when Fidel Castro dies, Radio and TV Marti will play an even more important role in helping to shape the transition, and will be seen in the future the same way as the Voice of America was in past decades.

"The effectiveness of broadcasting into the eastern bloc nations, into Russia, was not known until afterwards, and I think we'll see the same thing," he predicted.

Critics blame Cuban-American politics
Critics of Radio and TV Marti argued that in two decades on the air the U.S. government broadcasts have had no appreciable impact on Cuban political or social conditions. They scoffed at the argument that because the Cuban government is upset with them, it must mean the programs are effective.

"We've seen half a billion dollars over the past 20 some years spent on these programs with little or nothing to show for it," said Rep. Flake. "Nobody seems brave enough to break out and say, you know this is a waste, let's change our policy."

A common theme heard among the critics is the claim that Radio and TV Marti are more about Cuban-American politics in South Florida, securing votes and providing jobs than in effectively informing the Cuban people.

"It's not objective news and information. It's a political point of view of the exiles in South Florida," said Nichols. "I think the real purpose, though, was to curry favor with a very important U.S. domestic political constituency , the Cuban-exile community that is all-important in presidential elections."

Earlier this year, Representative William Delahunt, a Massachusetts Democrat, and a subcommittee chairman for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, promised to hold hearings on the content and funding of Radio and TV Marti. So far, however, nothing has materialized.

With the presidential campaign in full swing, and the Democratic front-runner, Senator Hillary Clinton, having stated her support for the broadcasts to Cuba, observers predicted it is unlikely now that hearings will be scheduled anytime soon.

A years-long argument
In defending the Radio and TV Marti effort, Mascaro, from The Office of Cuban Broadcasting, said, "Our personal view is, yes, it's worth every dime."

He also vehemently denied the political argument. "As far as the critics who say that, you know, we're feeding the exile community or throwing a bone to the exile community, I say that's completely false."

But, the opponents of the broadcasts are equally firm in their positions. "It's a mess. It really is a mess, but it creates jobs down there, and so there's a political element, but it's not very valuable to the taxpayers," said Flake. "Republicans have used it lately, but Democrats have used this issue as well to mine for voters."

It's an argument that has been waged for years, with passionate defenders describing Radio and TV Marti as important voices of freedom. Opponents downplay them as expensive failures and a Fleecing of America.

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