Cuban TV programs, films to be aired in US

Global Business

Cuba’s state run television company has signed a deal with a U.S. satellite network to show Cuban TV programs and films in the United States. The shows will be packaged in Miami and aimed at both Cuban Americans and a broader Latino audience.

CCTV America’s Michael Voss has the details.

The popular Cuban comedy program, Vivir del Cuento, “Living by One’s Wit,” is the island’s top rated TV program, so popular that U.S. President Barack Obama made two guest appearances on the show as part of his historic visit to Cuba.

Now, it’s about to reach an even bigger audience.

Dish Latino, part of the American satellite network Dish has signed a deal to show Cuban television programs and films in the United States on a new channel called CubamaxTV.

The lead character in the comedy, an 80-year-old pensioner called Panfilo, is played by a much younger actor Luis Silva, who was flown to Miami for the official channel launch.

There are around 2 million Cuban Americans, many of them living in Miami. The older generation, who consider themselves political exiles, may not approve. But their children and more recent arrivals, mainly economic migrants, are the potential audience.

The Cuban partner, state television’s commercial wing RTV, hopes this will become a window on Cuban culture for a wider audience as well.

This new channel isn’t just showing programs produced by Cuba’s state run television here. It’s also a showcase for some of the island’s independent film and documentary makers.

U.S. audiences will be offered a mix of soap operas, comedies and TV series along with documentaries and films. The only shows that won’t be offered are news and political programs.