{"id":242879,"date":"2021-08-25T15:02:50","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T19:02:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=242879"},"modified":"2021-08-25T15:02:50","modified_gmt":"2021-08-25T19:02:50","slug":"cuba-new-institute-of-information-and-social-communication-replaces-icrt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba\/cuba-new-institute-of-information-and-social-communication-replaces-icrt\/","title":{"rendered":"Cuba: new Institute of Information and Social Communication replaces ICRT"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new Institute of Information and Social Communication will replace the hitherto existing Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT) as of this Tuesday in Cuba.<\/span><\/p>\n

The emergence of the new entity was established in <\/span>Decree-Law 41\/2021 published this Tuessday in the Gaceta Oficial<\/span><\/a>, whose entry into force coincides with the publication itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Decree-Law has only two articles, which establish the extinction of the ICRT as an Organization of the Central State Administration and the creation in its place of the Institute of Information and Social Communication. This step is due to \u201cthe absence of an organization that leads and controls the social communication system to strengthen the institutional framework of the country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Given the change in the governing body of communication on the island, the norm establishes that \u201call mention made in the current legislation regarding the functions of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television are understood as referring to the Institute of Information and Social Communication created by this Decree-Law.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/IcrtCuba\/status\/1430254757835333639?s=19<\/p>\n

The new institute, according to the regulation, \u201chas the mission of leading and controlling the Social Communication Policy of the Cuban State and Government; proposing its improvement, as well as contributing to promoting the culture of dialogue and consensus in Cuban society.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This policy<\/span><\/a>, approved in 2018 by the Cuban authorities, even though it recognizes information, communication and knowledge as a public good and a citizen\u2019s right, has been the subject of criticism and controversy due to its precepts and objectives, among which it is made clear that \u201cthe Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) governs social communication in the country, draws up the general policy for its development and exercises its control.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, it reiterates that \u201cradio, television, the printed press and other mass communication media, as well as the technological platforms used by them, are state or social property, according to the regulations that are established, and cannot be object, in no case, of private ownership.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the specific functions, structure and composition of the new institute remain to be known, which according to the Decree-Law, will be established by the Council of Ministers \u201cwithin thirty days after the date of entry into force\u201d of said regulation. That is, this Tuesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

The creation of the Institute of Information and Social Communication takes place a few days after the publication of controversial regulations on telecommunications and cybersecurity. They confirm the Cuban State as the \u201cowner of public services\u201d in this sector with \u201cthe power to regulate, order, control and supervise the different services and networks,\u201d typifies possible \u201cincidents\u201d in this sphere and defines their level of dangerousness, which has been seen by opponents and independent analysts as an instrument to increase government control over communications, particularly on the Internet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cuban government unveils controversial cybersecurity regulation<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n