Cuban Press: Getting Entangled with Lucidity in the Net

One of the quickest ways to find out what’s happening in a community, a province or country is to approach social networks.

Of course, with means of protection, to avoid being contaminated by fake news, trivialization and other pathogens.

But being polite doesn’t mean soft and it’s undeniable that immediacy distinguishes these platforms that have become a kind of digital neighborhood, where either dwell the gossiper, the malicious, and the honest neighbor who wants to praise, criticize or denounce to make things better.

For this reason, throughout the world, social networks have become a valuable source of information for digital press media, contributing decisively to their relevance and good positioning.

It’s no coincidence that global expenditure on online advertising has experienced a constant growing trend over the years. Following competitive intelligence guidelines, marketing and advertising companies today invest more in social networks than in print media. According to a study carried out in June 2022, spending on digital advertising accounted for approximately 62% of the total invested in advertising worldwide in 2021, and they predict that the weight of this type of advertising in global expenditure will increase to almost 65.2% by late 2024.
 
It’s clear that “first come, first served” becomes a very questionable maxim in matters of informing citizens because it’s easy to “get away with it”; that is, replicating manipulated news, intentionally twisted by those who only intend to draw attention to disasters.

However, constant monitoring of social networks would serve our digital press as a valuable compass that, at least, indicates the beginning of a path. Of course you would have to investigate, make phone calls, cross-reference data and comments, even go to the place if possible, before turning what you read into information.

If the entities, state institutions and managers had a truly effective participation in the networks and also on the websites - as the Minister of Transportation is doing - it would be even better. Above all because it should also be up to them to always be attentive to those spaces on the Internet and respond in a timely and quick manner to doubts, criticisms or complaints.

If this were a practice, the Cuban press would have a very reliable source with which to cross over or complement what on social networks is focusing the attention of hundreds and sometimes thousands of Internet users, who there comment or publish their emoji, sometimes more eloquent than long articles.

The press today, and this is demonstrated by its work on a global scale, has to resemble social networks, which is to resemble the world. It’s true that this digital world is many times manipulated, but when the river sounds... The issue is knowing how to decant, filter, having the antennas ready.

And following in the footsteps of networks includes the dynamism and interactivity that characterizes them. That’s why it is also important to make space for the comments of Internet users, also to take them as a complement and reference, which is in no way equivalent to helping to spread the messages of those who, crudely, only want to confuse and destroy.

It would be so healthy if in all instances, spaces and corners they had just understood that in this 21st century with AI and even humanoids, the digital field has positioned itself as one of the main references, which is here to stay, and who doesn’t understand it, will be left behind forever.

But still on our Island there are those who insist on privileging the printed press, and even large sums are invested in its modernization instead of supporting digital newsrooms. It would be interesting, in consequence of the permanent exhortation to walk hand in hand with science, to investigate, with the support of sociology and other disciplines, how many and who acquire this printed press and what use they give it.

At the same time, also with these scientific methods, we should know which are the information channels Cubans use the most and, consequently, draw up strategies. In addition to having the truth on our side, the media war is won with good and scientific strategies.

It’s no secret that there’s a lack of journalistic staff - just look at the calls for vacant positions. But if those who are there considered this alternative of monitoring social networks as a source, in addition to reporting on events, award ceremonies and other similar things, perhaps they could multiply in effectiveness, in adherence to this complicated day-to-day life and its improvement.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff