The US Broadcasting Board of Governors has been busy strengthening the signals of Radio and TV Marti, to allow the people of Cuba access to news and information not censored by the Cuban government. The next move is to see if TV Marti can be sent to the Cuban people by satellite. This would allow viewers in Cuba to receive the TV Marti signal via free-to-air reception, so that TV Marti can be viewed by anyone with a dish and an ordinary digital receiver. Radio Marti’s signal would also be included in the transmission.
Satellite power will be provided by Hispasat, with a footprint covering all of Cuba and nearly all of Latin America. Satellite receivers now on the island can be easily tuned to receive the signal. According to various commercial sources, satellite dishes are being used by more and more Cubans, and the numbers continue to rise.
Said BBG Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson: We expect that as a powerful television signal with reliable, objective news and information becomes available to the Cuban people, it will inevitably find viewers. If we build it, they will come.