Havana, June 22 (ACN) II Plenary Session of the Union of Journalists of Cuba (UPEC)which met today at the Casa de la Prensa, in the capital, focused on the current challenges of the public media, in a complex context due to media attacks against the Caribbean nation.
José Pepe Alejandro Rodríguez, member of the National Committee and journalist from Juventud Rebelde, urged to flood the media with issues on the citizen agenda, as a permanent exercise that also helps to raise awareness about problems that occur in different parts of the country.
There are spaces in the media that are dedicated to meetings, encounters and check-ups, which are necessary; But the biggest challenge to the credibility of journalists currently focuses on reflecting from the bottom up what is happening, and praising what needs to be praised, commented National Journalism Award winner José Martí.
The most important thing about the editorial, economic and technological transformation that almost twenty media outlets in the country are going through, in the journalism that defends the Revolution, in the opinion of José Pepe Alejandro, consists of seeking a generational balance, since there are essential references in the country that should be in the newsrooms, guiding young people.
The topic of transformation generated interventions from the directors of the newspapers Escambray, Santi Spíritus and Girón, from Matanzas, as well as Ideas Multimedios, with their experiences of the process they are going through, the need for the so-called experiment and the communication law, about to come into force, speed up the process and achieve greater coordination between everyone.
Ricardo Ronquillo Bello, president of the UPEC, said that in the media where the experiment is applied there is a favorable environment and highlighted those that are making the most progress such as Escambray, Ideas Multimedios, ACN, Girón and Juventud Rebelde, despite the difficult conditions in those who work, due to shortages of these times.
The process has been prolonged and it is necessary to define how to extend the transformation to other media, said Ronquillo Bello.
The definition of innovation strategies, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, and the creation of new spaces resulting from collaboration between the media and with the purpose of influencing the country’s ideological debate, were issues put on the table this Saturday.
The issue of vocational training for the preparation of new professionals and the need to create alliances with upper secondary education, the university college, the aptitude tests to access the journalism career at the University, were also aspects that generated debates.
Maribel Acosta, head of the degree program at the Faculty of Communication, announced that the aptitude test will have a second call, which will be notified in due course.
The UPEC plenary session, which was attended by Maryde Fernández, vice head of the ideological department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, and Marta Bonet, president of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (Uneac), dedicated a minute of applause to Pedro de la Hoz, José Martí National Journalism Prize winner, who died recently.
The party leader remembered Fidel Castro, another giant journalist in the history of Cuba.
He said that by undertaking and projecting this management model, the strengthening of the press is seen and this action is collectively put into motion every day.
Let us always remember – he expressed – that the truth is our main weapon, and no matter how many inconveniences there may be, being consistent is the most precious battle flag for every professional of the Cuban press.
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