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Cuban
gov't increases campaign
Havana Cuban authorities have stepped up their campaign against illegal antennas and satellite-TV dishes, equipment sought by many in a country that tries to keep tight control of what people may watch, listen to or read. The official daily Juventud Rebelde on Wednesday published a lengthy article in which it denounced the practice of illegally accessing international TV signals and emphasized the risks being run by those who commit this type of crime. The Cuban government feels that the illegal distribution of antennas and satellite-TV dishes plays into the hands of Washington, the Communist regime's longtime antagonist. "The attempt and practice of encouraging the spread of channels having notable anti-Cuban propaganda is taking on a political connotation in our country, since they serve the (U.S.) empire in its plans to annihilate the Cuban nation," the paper said. The "alienating programming" that is offered on U.S. television channels "is an affront to the thirst for knowledge and the general improvement that Cubans get nowadays through truly educational programs," said Juventud Rebelde. In addition, the illegal distribution of TV signals "has become a lucrative business for a group of people ... (and) brings with it the diversion of resources" from state enterprises, the daily said. Despite the warnings and prohibitions, thousands of Cubans have illegal antennas and satellite dishes camouflaged in the most surprising ways in homes, on balconies, roofs, backyards and gardens. Dozens of people can access a single receiver, and many run cables hundreds of meters (yards) in length from a neighbor's satellite dish to their own televisions, a form of neighborhood sharing popularly known as a "spider web." For a monthly charge of between $5 and $10, neighbors can view programming broadcast by the international stations in Miami, by CNN or Television Espanola Internacional, depending on what "package" the antenna or dish owner has. "The owner of the receiver meets with all those who have the service (through him) and they select the programming the group wants," said one Old Havana resident who pays 10 pesos for the signal and says that the soap operas, the variety and news shows from the Miami stations are the ones most in demand. "At home, the kids watch cartoons, but I'm careful to disconnect the device when someone comes over who's not in on the secret because there are many monitors," said one woman from Havana's Playa neighborhood who is also on the "service." Much of the equipment that allows such neighborhood networks to be formed has been brought into the country illegally, according to Juventud Rebelde, which denounced the case of a Cuban exile living in the United States who was arrested last year when he tried to travel to Cuba with 28 Direct TV receivers, 30 connection cables, remote controls and batteries. The man, who had made 120 trips to Cuba over the previous 10 years, had "collaborated" with a Havana airport security agent and another person in Cuba who was in charge of receiving the equipment. People found guilty of illegally importing items of this kind could be punished with six months to three years in prison and heavy fines, while bribery can be punished in Cuba with up to 20 years behind bars.
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