Havana Radio Station in Key West

[davideduardo]

Let me clarify something to DavidEduardo:
numero uno: My command of English far from being perfect it is good enough to understand what I read from the first time. On top of that considering that my mother language is Spanish, my English is OK.... besides that I speak also another 2 languages... I do not live in Cuba anymore, neither in Miami nor in the USA.
numero two: I am not trying to sale anything, certainly not opinions. What I write here is my personal perception coming from someone that was born in Cuba and lived there for 30 years.
numero 3: I have being until now polite in this forum, like most of the participants, something that I cannot say about you when replying to the comments and opinions of the others.
have a nice day

Yes, most people are reasonably polite here... until someone starts posting things that are either unintentional hyperbole or downright distortions and untruths. In your case, I believe you still retain much of the political propaganda that the Cuban government is world-famous for. In the case of Sammy, it is, unfortunately, the latter case.

Let's look at the premise on face value: a couple of FMs from one of America's recognized worst radio markets and which may cover a tiny tiny piece of the northern coast of an Island nearly 800 miles long are now being considered to have influenced the minds and politics of 11 million Cubans. As a subset, we are being told that over a quarter of all Cubans are fluent english speakers, when the real percentage is less than 5%... and then that Cubans dance to and listen to English rap, while the truth is that they seldom do that, but do love regaetón and related music in Spanish.

In other words, a lot of inaccurated data has been put forth to promote the idea that a couple of lousy Key West stations are being listened to broadly in Cuba, which is not just untrue, it is physically impossible.

Based on your total misinterpretation of my post (where I referred to the 2%, at best, where the Key West stations could be heard), I can only assume that your English ability is less than your abilities in Spanish and Russian (the second language taught in Cuba for decades, not English).

There is no data from any source... even the notoriusly distorted Cuban internal ones, indicating that anything beyond a few percent of the total population has any useful abilities in English.

 

[Davie123]

David Eduardo: I will let your last two posts speak for themselves. Over the top, David, over the top.

LED: Please understand that "David Eduardo" is condescending toward everyone on these boards, and he
has not singled you out. I hope you will continue posting your comments.

 

[max88]

david is spot on he knows radio and the s.f market.

 

[led]

Well David Eduardo I would just say to your comments one word: whatever...
In any case, I do not think I am making propaganda to Castro telling that people in Cuba speak English and listen to the Keys stations instead of Radio Rebelde... in any case I am making propaganda to Uncle Sam...
bu as I said 'whatever'. I will not take your comments so seriously anymore.
Changing subject. I am looking for the jingles of stations like WFYN (from 1985-1991) and WEOW (1991-1994), as well as from WKIZ and WKWF from the same period. If someone could get some for me, I would really appreciate it. I know there are some people that worked at those stations that read these posts…
Have a nice day

 

[davideduardo]

Changing subject. I am looking for the jingles of stations like WFYN (from 1985-1991) and WEOW (1991-1994), as well as from WKIZ and WKWF from the same period. If someone could get some for me, I would really appreciate it. I know there are some people that worked at those stations that read these posts…
Have a nice day

Those jingles were likely syndicated jingles from a jingle company like TM or Jams in Dallas. If nobody at one of the stations has them (with the turnover in personnel and ownership in Key West, nobody may even have these at the station level) perhaps writing to the jingle companies might produce a demo CD... or they may be at the jingles section for TM at http://www.tmstudios.com/ or JAm at http://www.jingles.com/

Very few stations do their own coustom jingles, and even fewer in a market as small as Key West, so the syndicated jingle companies are the place to look.

 

[davideduardo]

I do not think I am making propaganda to Castro telling that people in Cuba speak English and listen to the Keys stations instead of Radio Rebelde...

The introduction of English to the general curriculum at schools is fairly recent, meaning few people as a percentage of all people have been exposed to it. And the big problem is that those trained as English teachers often take tourism sector jobs, which pay more due to tips and other benefits, leaving many schools without English instruction even now.

As to the Key West stations, you have to recognize that they cover only a tiny piece of the northern coast of Cuba. No FM covers all Cuba... one engineering friend of mine in Miami believes a full network covering 90% of the Island, would require something like 15 100 kw stations at good height (300 meters or better) plus about 30 or so small boosters to fill in shadow areas. The Key West stations don't cover even 2% or 3% of the land mass of Cuba. And no FM covers a land mass that is nearly 800 miles from tip to tip; that's over the horizon even for transmittes 1000 meters above the terrain.

 

[led]

DavidEduardo: Thank you. I do agree with your 2 last comments. I must say you know very well the technical part. But keep in mind that in Havana only you have more than 2 000 000 inhabitants nowadays. Then if you count those of Havana province, Pinar del Rio North and Matanzas north you will get about 4 millions out of 11... a big percentage of the population is then covered by the Keys stations...
English is in the curriculum since I was at secondary school at least, so that was about 1979… I never had lessons of Russian by the way…

 

[TerryKay]

Fifty-percent of the people in the US are not proficient in English.

 

[TerryKay]

You are right on regarding the music trends in Cuba TamiamiSammy, just listen to Rebelde and Rebelde FM during most dayparts and you'll hear plenty of US dance and Urban songs.

And don't forget the huge crowd that came out to see AudioSlave (a "must" DVD).

 

[davideduardo]

You are right on regarding the music trends in Cuba TamiamiSammy, just listen to Rebelde and Rebelde FM during most dayparts and you'll hear plenty of US dance and Urban songs.

US CHR songs have been popular among a certain class of lsitener throughout Latin America for decades. One of my jobs at Radio Centro in Mexico in 1963 as an intern was doing the "bilingües 7-90" which were US pop songs and the Mexican cover mixed back and forth.

This is neither a trend nor a revelation.

And don't forget the huge crowd that came out to see AudioSlave (a "must" DVD).

I'm guessing a few thousand out of a population of 11.3 million?

 

[Davie123]

I think we have an unusual situation with Cuba because of its isolation, and specifically the Havana "market". I don't think you can totally compare it to radio markets in Puerto Rico or other Latin American countries in regard to American music influence. For decades the Cuban people have sought outside media in disregard for the restrictions placed on them by the government. Most American media outlets are jammed, but some are not, including radio stations from Key West. So, David Eduardo, will you acknowledge that the only communist country in the Caribbean might be slightly different than most hispanic radio markets? In this thread, I have never claimed that American contemporary music will topple the Cuban government, only that it has become more popular than would normally be expected in a primarily spanish-speaking country. It makes no difference if Key West radio is good or bad, it's one of the few American media choices that Havana-area residents can receive. If the Key West stations are primarily automated as you state then they are playing a lot of music, right? Someday when Cuba is free and international radio interests are allowed to survey music preferences, I think they will find some surprises in the La Habana !

 

[davideduardo]

I think we have an unusual situation with Cuba because of its isolation, and specifically the Havana "market". I don't think you can totally compare it to radio markets in Puerto Rico or other Latin American countries in regard to American music influence.

No, it is not comparable. Because of the nature of a closed society, the impact and exposure to "American" or English langauge music is going to be much less than in other countries.

For decades the Cuban people have sought outside media in disregard for the restrictions placed on them by the government.

Some people, not all. Not most. Just some.

Most American media outlets are jammed, but some are not,

The only ones jammed in recent memory are WAQI, WQBA and Martí.

including radio stations from Key West.

Wrong. The Key West stations barely are listenable in a few percent of the land mass of Cuba. No FM in the world covers an 800 mile wide market.

will you acknowledge that the only communist country in the Caribbean might be slightly different than most hispanic radio markets?

The society is different, but tastes are not that different because the underlying culture is no different than that of Hispanics in Miami, or Dominicans or Puerto Ricans or coastal Venezuelans or Colombians.

In this thread, I have never claimed that American contemporary music will topple the Cuban government, only that it has become more popular than would normally be expected in a primarily spanish-speaking country.

Huh? Contemporary music in English is wildly popular all over Latin America. There are many stations in each market, as a rule, that play all English language music or a blend of English and Spanish.

English music is, broadly, less popular in Cuba as there are few media outlets that play it, and generally just in programs or in a mix with other music.

It makes no difference if Key West radio is good or bad, it's one of the few American media choices that Havana-area residents can receive.

If anyone thinks that the 40 dbu contour of an FM is broadly usable, they are smoking something. While the station may be heard in certain choice locations, they are not being heard widely. And, remember, just as in most of Latin America, English langauge music appeals to a narrow segment of the audience that first young and then of a particular class... to believe that Spanish language pop and AC and tropical are not the majority music forms there is "dreaming of pregnat birds."

If the Key West stations are primarily automated as you state then they are playing a lot of music, right? Someday when Cuba is free and international radio interests are allowed to survey music preferences, I think they will find some surprises in the La Habana !

I think we will find that Juanes and Luis Miguel and Gilberto Santa Rosa are the favorite artists, just like everywhere else in the Caribbean Basin.

 

[John Waywoods]

A friend of mine video-taped a day at a Cuban beach and you could hear some Cuban youths cranking Power 96. It blew my mind.

 

[Davie123]

English music is, broadly, less popular in Cuba as there are few media outlets that play it, and generally just in programs or in a mix with other music.

Perhaps you will be involved in programming Cuban stations in the future, and have the opportunity to travel to Havana.
Keep an open mind when you do. 8)

 

[qtpieislit]

You got da wrong island, mon. Ganja comes from Jamaica.

Speaking of which, do any U.S. AM's come in, in Jamica? And do the Cuban jammers interfere with any AM reception on the U.S mainland.

 

[davideduardo]

Speaking of which, do any U.S. AM's come in, in Jamica? And do the Cuban jammers interfere with any AM reception on the U.S mainland.

Most of the US directionals and high power gulf stations do come in, especially if you are on the north side of the Island, and not around Kingston, where most of the stuff you hear is Colombia and some Central America.

WWK, KWKH, the 1090 in Little Rock, KTRH and stations like that will be relatively easy. Jamaica has fewer AMs than ever, so not many interfering stations to worry about.

Today, there really are no jammers (stations that broadcast tones or warbles) in Cuba. Cuba simply puts local stations on the channels they want to block. For decades, the warbler in Cuba heterodyned WQBA in Dade County, but they don't bother much with QBA since that station went to a more Miami rather than an anti-Castro format.

In general, the blockers don't interfere in the market area of the Spanish stations of Miami.

 

[led]

Here we go again...
American music have been heard all the time in Cuba, even in the 60s, the darkest era of the dictatorship, people used to listen to radio stations and LPs from the US... it is not a minority that listen to English spoken music in Cuba... my mother, who is now about 70 loves American music since she was young in the 50s... she liked when WKWF AM1600 played 'american standards' during the 80s and even asked me to set the radio on AM1600 from Key West; since she had only an AM radio… while I could get the same (satellite feed) programs on WXOS 100.3 FM (nowadays WCTH from plantation Key Florida) in stereo…
Cuban radio and TV stations have played always American music, maybe in the 60s much less than nowadays. There were famous programs like 'COLORAMA' that played every week videoclips actually from the Top 40 lists... of course these videos were previously inspected by the Communist Party to see whether they had too much 'decadent and capitalist' content...

 

[davideduardo]

Here we go again...
American music have been heard all the time in Cuba, even in the 60s, the darkest era of the dictatorship, people used to listen to radio stations and LPs from the US...

Nobody disputes that. It was the same all over Latin America, too. Cuba is not an exception.

The difference today is that there are practically no music AM's in the US, and fewer still that could be heard in Cuba (US Music AMs tend to be religious or ultra-niche and on the worst technical facilities). So for the last several decades, only those in Cuba who could hear a few FMs over the limited "tower to horizon" range of those stations or during a few periods of ducting / skip, heard US radio and English language music on the radio.

it is not a minority that listen to English spoken music in Cuba...

It is a minority. You just happen anecdotally to know persons who are of the same level as yourself who like English language music.

Cuban radio and TV stations have played always American music, maybe in the 60s much less than nowadays. There were famous programs like 'COLORAMA' that played every week videoclips actually from the Top 40 lists... of course these videos were previously inspected by the Communist Party to see whether they had too much 'decadent and capitalist' content...

Except for the content censorship, the same thing happened all over Latin America. In the 60's, my top rated station in Ecuador in Uppers Socioeconomic level played about hlaf English music. In Lower Socioeconomic, it was not even in the top 10 while my tropical music station was at the top.

 

[Davie123]

David Eduardo Said:
The difference today is that there are practically no music AM's in the US, and fewer still that could be heard in Cuba (US Music AMs tend to be religious or ultra-niche and on the worst technical facilities). So for the last several decades, only those in Cuba who could hear a few FMs over the limited "tower to horizon" range of those stations or during a few periods of ducting / skip, heard US radio and English language music on the radio.

David, you really need to get a visa and go to Havana, and find out what is going on there. Your comments are also "anectdotal" based on your experience in other hispanic markets. Until you have actually experienced Cuba, your opinions are pure speculation.

 

[davideduardo]

David, you really need to get a visa and go to Havana, and find out what is going on there. Your comments are also "anectdotal" based on your experience in other hispanic markets. Until you have actually experienced Cuba, your opinions are pure speculation.

I have been there.

I have worked among Cubans for three decades.

I found that Fidel has still not been able to modify the laws of physics, and RF travels the same way it does elsewhere.

I found that La Habana is not all of Cuba.

I found that the people a tourist or visitor sees are not representative of the entire population.

I found that talking to emigrants after they leave Cuba as I have been doing for about 30 years as GM, consultant or programmer in Miami, often gives a greater picture of what life across that 800 mile wide island is like.

I found, when working for Radio Martí that there are two generations of Cubans who grew up with a distorted world view by our US standards and that there is a García Márquez-like surreal quality to all things on the island