January 02, 2009

Report Card for McClatchy piece on Cuban Revolution's 50th Anniversary

Here's the seventh in a series of report cards on coverage of the Cuban revolution's 50th anniversary. I am using this grading system which is written from castro, inc's point of view.

This piece is from the McClatchy News Service. McClatchy is the parent company of the Miami Herald. If you read Herald Watch you know that their shares were worth more than $70 four years ago and are now trading in the $0.70 range.

+10 for referring to raul castro as "president"

+10 for quoting raul extensively

+20 for accepting the positive characterization of Cuba's health and education systems by unnamed Cuban citizens at face value

+10 for accepting characterization of racial progress at face value

+10 for erroneously characterizing the Cuban revolution as a peasant revolution that "even Cuba's middle class welcomed..."

-10 for using the word "communist"

-10 for quoting a disgruntled Cuban citizen

-10 for pointing out that Cuban have endured "decades of economic ruin and restricted freedoms"

-10 for quoting another disgruntled citizen

-10 for mentioning that people are afraid to speak on the record

-10 for quoting yet another disgruntled citizen +5 BONUS for mentioning that the citizen would gladly marry a foreigner to escape.

Verdict: -5, this piece is a tale of two halves really. In the first half we have the usual fare with references to "president" raul castro and "dictator" fulgencio batista but later in the piece the term dictatorship is used to characterize the castro regime. Also three Cuban citizens are quoted with mainly negative things to say about the regime. The words "embargo", "sanctions", or "blockade" are never mentioned and Cuba's economic difficulties are not blamed on such a notion. Still there's a lot of play-by-play about the "celebrations" and a lot of direct quotations from castro which include a lot of unchallenged propaganda. The regime won't be too happy about this piece but neither should freedom loving people who want straight journalism. Again no mention of Cuba's political prisoners or the dissident movement. I'm sure McClatchy would call it balance.

Posted by Henry Louis Gomez at January 2, 2009 09:05 AM

Comments

Henry, one has to remember, as I'm sure you do, that the typical MSM member lives in mortal fear of straying too far off the party line, the "correct" norm, the fashionable posture or position. Our position is exceedingly unfashionable. Truth and righteousness are not the point; a certain agenda or ideology is the point. I'm surprised McClatchy was this "balanced," actually.

Posted by: asombra [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 2, 2009 09:57 AM


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