BBC News to broadcast live from Havana (O Rrly?)

[flamingdem]

BBC News to broadcast live from Havana

BBC News will broadcast live from Cuba next week, the British websites Broadcastnow and ATVnetwork report.

"After more than a year of protracted negotiations, Matt Frei will (fot) front a week of coverage from the socialist state, including two days of live broadcasts from Havana on Thursday and Friday," Broadcastnow says.
"The coverage will examine the realities of life inside Cuba as well as the impact of Barack Obama’s U.S. administration."

The BBC will not have access to Raúl Castro or his brother Fidel but will interview an official spokesman. It also has scheduled an interview about Cuba with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Why the rush NOW? British people have been vacationing in Cuba for years,

as well as Canadians, Latin Americans, Europeans, Australians, Japanese, etc., etc., etc.

Should be interesting. Thanks.

On edit:

I've seen a guy from BBC who did a program in Cuba featuring various singing stars there, a few years ago, so apparently they've had BBC people in and out of Cuba already.

[protocol rv]

2. It's intended to inform people, not vacation

Their broadcast is intended to inform their audience. Cuba is one of the few countries were media is controlled, and access by foreign media requires permits. It's not convenient for the Cuban regime to have media disclose the awful conditions on the island, interview people on the street, etc.