Will Cuban dissidents' dissent lead to the descent of Radio Martí? (updated)

Dissident organization in Cuba complains to the US State Department about the content of Radio Martí. "Según los disidentes, la emisora estaría más en función de la política de Miami que de las necesidades informativas de Cuba, razón por la cual fue creada y por la que recibe millones de dólares de financiamiento federal. ... 'En Radio Martí no comprenden que su misión es dar información al pueblo de Cuba de lo que ocurre en Cuba para romper el monopolio oficial'." BBC Mundo, 21 January 2009.
     Update: "The head of Miami-based Radio and TV Martí will stay on in his post -- at least temporarily -- despite an administration change in Washington that was expected to result in a resignation for the political appointee. Pedro Roig, director of the U.S. Office of Cuba Broadcasting, was asked to stay on by the federal agency that controls Radio and TV Martí, and is traveling to Washington, D.C., on Monday to meet with the officials who oversee his operation. 'Roig was asked to stay on by the board in consultation with the [President Barack] Obama team,' said Tish King, a spokeswoman for the Broadcasting Board of Governors." Miami Herald, 22 January 2009. I thought the point of the International Broadcasting Act of 1994 is for senior appointments to be made by the firewall Broadcasting Board of Governors rather than by the president. If new senior managers, such as the the director of Radio/TV Martí and the director of Voice of America, are named by, or because of, the new administration, this would be an indication that U.S. international broadcasting lacks the independence necessary to achieve the credibility that is required for success in international broadcasting. It would also beg the question: why does the BBG exist?
     Spanish version of above: elNuevoHerald.com, 23 July 2009.
     "Los principales líderes de la coalición Agenda para la Transición han decidido temporalmente realizar un boicot a la emisora y no hacer contribuciones a su Departamento de Noticias, hasta que no existan indicios de una transformación que abra las puertas a un flujo informativo favorable a la audiencia en la isla." elNuevoHerald,com, 16 January 2009.
     "Para todo cubano que ame la patria y su libertad la importancia de Radio Martí es enorme e intransferible." Nicolas Perez Diez Argüelles, elNuevoHerald.com, 21 January 2009. See previous post about same subject. Posted: 23 Jan 2009 Permalink Print