View Header

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release February 12, 1997

U.S. Media Licensed to Open Bureaus in Cuba

The Administration today approved licenses to a number of major U.S. media organizations to open news bureaus in Cuba. This action is in keeping with the policy, as stated by President Clinton in October 1995, of supporting an increased flow of accurate information to, from and within Cuba. The Administration believes that newsgathering and reporting by U.S. news organizations will keep international attention focused on the situation in Cuba and provide greater public exposure to those on the island who seek peaceful change.

All qualified U.S. news organizations which have applied for licenses are receiving them. These are: CNN, ABC, CBS, The Miami Herald, Dow Jones, Johns Hopkins/SAIS (publisher of CubaINFO), Univision, The Chicago Tribune, The Sun Sentinel of South Florida and the Associated Press. We are aware of only one organization -- CNN -- that has already received permission from the Government of Cuba to establish an office in Cuba. We hope other organizations will soon be allowed into Cuba.

The licenses issued today are valid for one year. They authorize all transactions directly related to the establishment and operation of news offices. They also stipulate that U.S. media require that their newsgathering activities within Cuba be unconditioned and unrestricted.

###