On May 24th, elTOQUE was awarded the LASA Media Award 2023, an accolade given annually by the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) to recognize innovative journalism and long-term journalistic contributions to the analysis and public debate about Latin America.
The award, presented on behalf of Cuban journalist José Jasán Nieves, editor-in-chief of elTOQUE, acknowledges the journalistic rigor of the Cuban independent platform «for reporting on issues of significant social impact in Latin America, based on hard data and non-partisan analysis.»
The jury, consisting of Iria Puyosa from Digital Research Lab – Atlantic Council; Luz Mely Reyes from Efecto Cocuyo; Rosental Alves from the University of Texas; and Omar Rincón from the University of Los Andes, highlighted the media’s innovation in journalistic research techniques and various multimedia formats to present content to audiences, as well as its commitment to human rights and social justice.
Another factor considered in awarding the LASA Media Award 2023 to Nieves was the range of projects covered by elTOQUE: transparency journalism, public service journalism, data verification, creative humor supplements, downloadable podcasts, and the development of an offline news reading application. «This last aspect is particularly relevant for audiences in countries with limited Internet connectivity, as is the case with several in Latin America,» the award statement notes.
Finally, the jury noted that the awarded collective has demonstrated that good journalism and the defense of the right to information are possible even in a totalitarian context, with hostile authorities and norms restricting the practice of the profession.
«The award is overwhelming. It is personalized, but it is clear that it is not for me; it is an award for elTOQUE, for independent Cuban journalism, for independent journalism in the Latin American region that resists the onslaught of authoritarian, totalitarian, and dictatorial governments, and we do what we can to contribute to the rescue or construction of resilient democracies and civil societies in our countries.»
«It is with this perspective that I accept and receive it because it serves to highlight what is happening with independent Cuban and Latin American journalism,» said Nieves at the LASA Congress, held in Vancouver, Canada, from May 23 to 27, 2023.
The reporter reminded that the award is not only a recognition of the team’s ongoing work but also an opportunity to highlight the specific work of colleagues repressed in Cuba during 2022. The Cuban government’s repression against elTOQUE collaborators between August and November of the previous year led to the resignation, under pressure and psychological torture, of almost the entire team on the island.
The editor-in-chief of elTOQUE defended the vitality and appreciation of journalistic work, as well as the recognition of talent and fair pay for journalists’ labor. He added that the platform advocates for a plurality of voices and divergent viewpoints, always with the purpose of serving and striving to do better journalism.
«It is an exercise in democratic training because what we want is to teach ourselves and the audiences that it does not have to be a practice to publish only what responds to the media’s editorial policy,» he emphasized.
Nieves also highlighted the importance of collaborating with other independent media and platforms, both Cuban and foreign.This is the second time LASA has recognized a Cuban media outlet. In 2018, the organization awarded an honorable mention to 14ymedio.
LASA is the world’s largest professional association of researchers and institutions dedicated to the study of Latin America. With over 13,000 members, more than 60% of whom reside outside the United States, it brings together experts on Latin America from all disciplines and various professional initiatives globally.
LASA has faced criticism on several occasions for not condemning violence in Cuba and for inviting Cuban academics and officials who have maintained a stance of complicity, such as Colonel Abel Enrique González Santamaría, who participated in the 2022 and 2023 meetings.
AN AWARD FOR INDEPENDENT CUBAN JOURNALISM
Following the award ceremony, several elTOQUE readers congratulated the media outlet and expressed their gratitude for the informative work it provides.
Internet user Roly Yanes commented on Facebook that the platform «has become a source of search and reference for any topic about Cuba with their work. I found them when ‘the Constitution issue…’ happened and have not stopped following them.»
Fe Pérez Dovale, on the other hand, noted that the award was «well-deserved» and appreciated the «good analyses of our sad reality» and «the quality of the writing.»
To keep the project alive, they created the Fundación Colectivo Más Voces, legally registered in Poland due to the impossibility of obtaining legal personality as either a media outlet or organization in Cuba. Reader Mireya Medero stated that the award validates elTOQUE’s work, which «is more than recognized by its audience.» She emphasized the audience’s commitment to the outlet «despite contrary opinions aimed at discrediting them and media lynching.»
Cuban activists Daniel Triana and Saily González Velázquez congratulated the team for the distinction.
Researcher and political scientist Yanina Welp mentioned on Twitter, referring to elTOQUE, that «good journalism (documented, fact-checked, public service, creative) can be done even in authoritarian contexts.»
Carolina Jiménez Sandoval, president of the Washington Office on Latin American Affairs (WOLA), highlighted the importance of LASA «awarding independent journalism,» with emphasis on journalism practiced in countries like Cuba.
elTOQUE defines itself as an independent multimedia platform focused on depicting Cuba in its diversity, complexity, creativity, and also sometimes pain or hidden aspects. It was founded in 2014 as a project of the Latin American department of the Dutch NGO RNW Media (formerly Radio Nederland Wereldomroep).
In 2017, after the Dutch organization changed its working strategy and ended its presence in Latin America, a team of young Cuban journalists and bloggers who had been managing elTOQUE since 2016 decided to continue the project.
The Fundación Colectivo Más Voces finances elTOQUE and its allied projects through grants and International Cooperation projects (Fondo Velocidad, MEEDAN, and the International Fact-checking Network), collaborations with other international media, and revenue from the professional services provided by the commercial arm, CATAO.
The team prioritizes the quality of content in any format or genre and editorial independence. The media’s agenda is decided collectively, taking into account the informational needs of audiences and opportunities to bring silenced or underreported topics into public debate in Cuba.
Taken from: elTOQUE
