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"Consume Only What is Necessary" is the advisory you´ll read by the end of the nightly programming.
That does not seem to be a problem, really, for television in Cuba only consists of three national channels stripped from anything remotely attractive.
Political debates solely include people that totally agree with each other, and the news is one long exercise of lauding Cuban government.
Universidad Para Todos and Canal Educativo are perhaps the most praiseworthy Cuban tv-projects, as they provide viewers with educational programmes ranging from primary and secondary classes to university-level courses.
Cuban soapseries or Telenovelas are perhaps the most popular thing on the box in Cuba. Aquí Estamos ("Here We Are") runs on primetime and is especially popular amongst many Cubans. Although these soap operas are, ofcourse, highly dramatized, they do provide an interesting insight in Cuban society and Cuban culture.
Apart from the obvious themes, for example Pasión y Prejuicio, other tv-makers use the telenovela to address more sensitive social issues ("The Dark Side of the Moon").
| Cubavisión Internacional | State broadcaster offers the usual television listing, with news, music, documentaries and a fair share of the ever-popular soap series. Everything is either originally or dubbed in the Spanish language, though. |
| Telerebelde | As its printed counterpart, Tele Rebelde aims to entertain Cuban youth with mainly sports, series, and music. As long as it passes the board, Western productions such as Friends or Harry Potter are broadcast here. |
| Canal Educativo 1 & 2 | Both channels aim to provide education and programmes of cultural interest |
| Regional Channels | Besides those four national channels, Cuba´s provinces have their own television stations. Tele Turquino is on the box in Santiago de Cuba and surroundings, Perlavisión in Cienfuegos, Canal Habana in, well... you get the idea. |
Contrary to what you might expect, Cuban television does frequently screen American productions, such as series and movies, although usually dubbed in Spanish (as in practically all Spanish speaking countries). They do need to pass the propaganda board though, and are selected according to whether they do or do not fit in the ideals of the Cuban Revolution. In other words, they should contain and promote such values as solidarity, friendship, while at the same time refrain from what Cuban authorties deem counter-revolutionary, which is only loosely defined.
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