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Media system analysis requires establishing analytical simplifications addressing the unique, diverse, and contextualized nature of media around the world, especially in contexts where political change is contested and “discrepancies” with global processes are observed. This article draws on the context of Cuba during Raúl Castro's presidency (2006-2018) as a benchmark, aiming to identify dilemmas and theoretical-methodological options for the study of national media systems during periods of similar economic-political reforms. This contextual framework guides the strategy for searching, selecting, and retrieving information, employing a bibliographic-documentary review method. First, the article distinguishes and describes dilemmas related to the limits and centrality of politics, the relationship between the national and the transnational, the relationship between structure and agency, and the relevance of the cultural dimension. Then, it argues for three methodological strategies whose integration would address the aforementioned dilemmas, the complexity of studying a media system, the distinction of emerging interpretive frameworks, and the socialization of knowledge: the historical[1]spatial-temporal perspective, analytical regeneration, orientation towards the discursive, and knowledge representation. Conclusions highlight the relevance of applying a comparative approach to integrate the different strategies, and the positioning regarding the described issues is distinguished from a contextual, relational, changing, diverse, and interactive perspective between boundaries, actors, and structures.

Introduction: During the presidency of Raúl Castro (2006-2018), the Cuban media system has lost the state-partisan monopoly and has suffered the decentralization of communication production and distribution. In this context of changes, the relationships between the media system components that define journalistic professionalism are analyzed based on the links identified between the journalistic culture and the projection of media policy. Methodology: The critical review of research on media systems allowed us to observe this case study contextualized. A qualitative methodology was applied, based on an in-depth interview with 21 experts in Political and Communication Sciences about Cuba, and qualitative content analysis to political programs, laws, scientific publications, research theses, and other interviews with Cuban journalists registered in previous studies. Results: The central dilemma of Cuban journalism is delineated in the interaction between the journalistic roles and the definition of public service and between journalistic autonomy and the functions of the media aimed at reinforcing nationalism and national defense. Discussion: The meaning of Cuban journalistic professionalism seems to be more associated with the ideals of social justice, citizen participation, political commitment, and national sovereignty, and with a formative model of a humanist and critical journalist; than to the autonomy or the consistency of media system rules. Conclusions: However, tension coexists between media-political instrumentalization and professionalization -constituted by journalism with a strong vocation for public service and journalists who develop strategies to explore greater conceptual and structural autonomy-., Introducción: El sistema de medios cubano durante la presidencia de Raúl Castro (2006-2018) se ha caracterizado por la pérdida del monopolio estatal-partidista y el descentramiento en la producción y distribución de comunicación. En este contexto de cambios, se analizan las relaciones entre los componentes del sistema mediático que definen la profesionalidad periodística, a partir de los vínculos identificados entre cultura periodística y proyección de la política de medios. Metodología: Se aplicó una metodología cualitativa, con base en la entrevista en profundidad a 21 expertos en Ciencias Políticas y de la Comunicación sobre Cuba, y el análisis de contenido cualitativo a programas políticos, leyes, publicaciones científicas, tesis y otras entrevistas a periodistas cubanos registras en estudios previos. Resultados: El dilema central del periodismo cubano se delinea en la interacción entre roles periodísticos y definición de servicio público; y entre la autonomía periodística y las funciones de los medios orientadas a reforzar el nacionalismo y la defensa nacional. Discusión: El significado de la profesionalidad periodística cubana parece estar más asociado con ideales de justicia social, participación ciudadana, compromiso político y soberanía nacional, y a un modelo formativo de un periodista humanista y crítico; que a la autonomía o a la consistencia de las reglas con las que opera el sistema mediático. Conclusiones: No obstante, coexiste una tensión entre la instrumentalización política -y económica-, y la profesionalización, constituida por un periodismo con fuerte vocación de servicio público y por periodistas que desarrollan estrategias orientadas a la búsqueda de mayor autonomía conceptual y estructural.

COVID-19 has made visible systemic inequities, multiplied vulnerability conditions, and uncovered the lack of capacity of numerous public institutions to respond to the pandemic. The paper aims to analyze and contextualize the health crisis management, as well as vulnerable groups’ care in Cuba during the first year of the pandemic. For this purpose, a mixed approach was selected, which combines qualitative content analysis with statistical data obtained from primary and secondary sources. Findings revealed that more than half of the Cuban population is vulnerable to COVID-19 due to factors such as age, gender, race, physical health, living conditions, and limitations to access to basic rights associated to quality food, dignified housing, and potable water rights. Epidemiological statistics collected between March 2020 and March 2021, show an adequate management of the sanitary contingency based on the coordination of governmental structures with scientific and technological sectors and public and universal health infrastructure. However, there are contradictory strategies in caring for vulnerable populations that deepen previously existing inequalities and dynamize and extend vulnerability conditions. COVID-19 constitutes a window of opportunity to rethink country development strategies from a comprehensive social policy model., El COVID-19 ha visibilizado las inequidades sistémicas, multiplicado las condiciones de vulnerabilidad y descubierto la incapacidad de numerosas instituciones públicas para responder a la pandemia. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar y contextualizar la gestión de la crisis sanitaria en Cuba, así como la atención a grupos vulnerables durante el primer año de la pandemia. La investigación se sustenta en un enfoque mixto que combina el análisis cualitativo de contenido con el de datos estadísticos procedentes de fuentes primarias y secundarias. Los hallazgos revelaron que más de la mitad de la población cubana es vulnerable ante COVID-19 por factores como edad, género, raza, salud física, condiciones del hogar y limitaciones para acceder a derechos básicos asociados a alimentación de calidad, vivienda digna y servicios de agua potable. Las estadísticas epidemiológicas recabadas entre marzo de 2020 y marzo de 2021 muestran una gestión de la crisis sanitaria adecuada a partir de la articulación gubernamental con la gestión científica y tecnológica y la infraestructura de salud pública y universal. Sin embargo, existen estrategias contradictorias en la atención a la población en riesgo, que profundizan desigualdades previamente existentes y dinamizan y amplían la condición de vulnerabilidad. COVID-19 constituye una ventana de oportunidad para pensar estrategias de desarrollo desde un modelo de política social integral.

Cuba is currently engaged in a process of constitutional reform that aims at important economic, political and social changes. The popular consultation, as an act of widespread participation in the country, is embedded into a context of deep transformations of the Cuban media system, which suggests a more critical look at issues of public interest. Taking this into account, this article analyzes the internal and external factors that influence the construction of media agendas on the process of popular consultation of the draft Constitution of the Republic in the provincial press in Santiago de Cuba. And it takes as a reference point studies that have characterized media agendas in Cuba or have studied their behavior in the face of eventual or specific issues. A mixed design of concurrent triangulation was applied, and the Analysis-Synthesis and the Inductive-Deductive analysis were used as general methods. More specifically, a content analysis was applied to the Sierra Maestra newspaper and the CMKC radio station and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the journalists of the above referred media. During the 14 weeks of the measurement, the media agendas prioritized topics such as history, public health, education and institutional activities; what matches previous results on the subject. The presence of nine attributes related to the most discussed articles was determined and the analysis revealed that the news coverage was variable in the case of the newspaper and had greater stability in that of the radio-station., Cuba se encuentra actualmente inmersa en un proceso de reforma constitucional que apunta hacia importantes cambios económicos, políticos y sociales. La consulta popular, como un acto de amplia participación en el país, se inserta en un contexto de profundas transformaciones en el sistema mediático cubano, que propone una mirada más crítica a los temas de interés público. Teniendo esto en cuenta, este artículo analiza los factores internos y externos que inciden en la construcción de las agendas mediáticas sobre el proceso de consulta popular del proyecto de Constitución de la República en medios de prensa provinciales de Santiago de Cuba. Y toma como referente estudios que han caracterizado las agendas mediáticas en Cuba o que han estudiado su comportamiento ante temas eventuales o específicos. Se ha aplicado un diseño mixto de triangulación concurrente y se han utilizado como métodos generales el análisis-síntesis y el análisis inductivo-deductivo. Concretamente, se ha llevado a cabo un análisis de contenido del periódico Sierra Maestra y la emisora CMKC y se han realizado entrevistas semiestructuradas a los periodistas de los citados medios. Durante las catorce semanas de la medición, las agendas mediáticas priorizaron materias como la historia, la salud pública, la educación y las actividades institucionales, lo que coincide con resultados previos sobre el tema. Se determinó la presencia de nueve atributos relacionados con los artículos más debatidos y el análisis reveló que la cobertura informativa fue variable en el caso del periódico y tuvo mayor estabilidad en la emisora.

This article presents a comparative analysis of the pre-professional journalistic cultures of Ecuador, Cuba and Venezuela focused on the study of the aspects that motivate students of Journalism and/or Social Communication to pursue these careers and their expectations and professional experiences. In the fieldwork, 1273 students from 21 universities enrolled in Journalism and/or Social Communication were surveyed during the first semester of 2016 (Cuba = 383, Ecuador = 500, Venezuela = 390). A sample that has a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of less than 5. The results indicate that students in Ecuador, Cuba and Venezuela, although they do not have professional experience in the area -with the exception of Cubans- and acknowledge their doubts about the job security offered by the profession, they have journalism as the main professional option for their future and, specifically, television. The regression analysis shows that in general terms only occupational safety (B = -0.108, p <0.001), vocation (B = -0.083, p <0.01) and gender (B = 0.079, p <0, 05) have a significant influence on the perspectives of personal development of the students in the three countries, F (6, 1190) = 19.455, p <0.001, explaining 8.5% of their variance, En este artículo se presenta un análisis comparativo de las culturas periodísticas pre-profesional de Ecuador, Cuba y Venezuela enfocado en el estudio de los aspectos que motivan a los estudiantes de Periodismo y/o Comunicación Social a cursar estas carreras y sus expectativas y experiencias profesionales. En el trabajo de campo se encuestaron a 1273 estudiantes de 21 universidades matriculados en Periodismo y/o Comunicación Social durante el primer semestre de 2016 (Cuba=383; Ecuador=500; Venezuela=390). Una muestra que contó con un nivel de confianza del 95% y un margen de error inferior a 5. Los resultados obtenidos indican que los estudiantes en estos tres países, aunque no tienen experiencia profesional en el área -con excepción de los cubanos- y reconocen sus dudas respecto a la seguridad laboral que les ofrece la profesión, tienen al periodismo como principal opción profesional de futuro y, como medio predilecto, a la televisión. El análisis de regresión muestra que en términos generales solo la seguridad laboral (B=-0,108, p<0,001), la vocación (B=-0,083, p<0,01) y el género (B=0,079, p<0,05) tienen una influencia significativa sobre las perspectivas de desarrollo personal de los estudiantes en los tres países, F(6, 1190)= 19,455, p<0,001, explicando el 8,5% de su varianza

The Political Economy of the Communication provides the theoretical platform to understand the film Cuban movement from the concept of cultural industry. The initial conception of ICAIC regarding the cinema like an artistic more than economic fact is coherent with the unproductive condition of the work and the social high value that characterizes its activity. They are verified, nevertheless, contradictions and critical tensions in connection with the social purpose and the economic sustainable, author’s production and the financing sources, the defense of the national identity and the insert in commercial circuits at global level., A Economia Política da Comunicação proporciona a plataforma teórica para compreender o movimiento cinematográfico cubano a partir do conceito de indústria cultural. A concepção fundacional do ICAIC sobre o cinema como realização artística mais do que econômica resulta coerente com a condição improdutiva do trabalho e o alto valor social que caracteriza essa atividade. Constata-se, não obstante, contradições e tensões críticas em relação à finalidade social e a sustentabilidade econômica, a produção do autor e as fontes de financiamento, a defesa da identidade nacional e a necessidade de inserção nos circuitos comerciales globais., La Economía Política de la Comunicación proporciona la plataforma teórica para comprender el movimiento cinematográfico cubano desde el concepto de industria cultural. La concepción fundacional del ICAIC respecto al cine como un hecho artístico más que económico resulta coherente con la condición improductiva del trabajo y el alto valor social que caracteriza su actividad. Se constatan, no obstante, contradicciones y tensiones críticas en relación con la finalidad social y la sostenibilidad económica, la producción de autor y las fuentes de financiamiento, la defensa de la identidad nacional y la necesidad de inserción en circuitos comerciales a nivel global.

The Political Economy of the Communication provides the theoretical platform to understand the film Cuban movement from the concept of cultural industry. The initial conception of ICAIC regarding the cinema like an artistic more than economic fact is coherent with the unproductive condition of the work and the social high value that characterizes its activity. They are verified, nevertheless, contradictions and critical tensions in connection with the social purpose and the economic sustainable, author’s production and the financing sources, the defense of the national identity and the insert in commercial circuits at global level., La Economía Política de la Comunicación proporciona la plataforma teórica para comprender el movimiento cinematográfico cubano desde el concepto de industria cultural. La concepción fundacional del ICAIC respecto al cine como un hecho artístico más que económico resulta coherente con la condición improductiva del trabajo y el alto valor social que caracteriza su actividad. Se constatan, no obstante, contradicciones y tensiones críticas en relación con la finalidad social y la sostenibilidad económica, la producción de autor y las fuentes de financiamiento, la defensa de la identidad nacional y la necesidad de inserción en circuitos comerciales a nivel global., A Economia Política da Comunicação proporciona a plataforma teórica para compreender o movimiento cinematográfico cubano a partir do conceito de indústria cultural. A concepção fundacional do ICAIC sobre o cinema como realização artística mais do que econômica resulta coerente com a condição improdutiva do trabalho e o alto valor social que caracteriza essa atividade. Constata-se, não obstante, contradições e tensões críticas em relação à finalidade social e a sustentabilidade econômica, a produção do autor e as fontes de financiamento, a defesa da identidade nacional e a necessidade de inserção nos circuitos comerciales globais.

Communication research in Cuba dating back to the thirties of the twentieth century. Its evolution has gone through various stages and in which there have been expansions and contradictions, a distinctly applied and a contextual determination mediated by socioeconomic circumstances, political, cultural professional and discursive. This is known from studies of second order in the last six years have been regularized in its execution and reflection. Today the investigative process in these subjects is a clear process for promotion and institutionalization must face challenges to its expansion and consolidation.