As of 1 May, R Havana Cuba increased their program length from one to two hours. This doesn’t mean an increase in transmission time, rather that instead of each program being repeated every hour, the second hour is now an extension of the first. The extended schedule has allowed for some additional programming. I have been monitoring the output of RHC for the first two weeks of May, and here is an outline of their new schedule. Note that timings are all approximate, partly due to the (rather nice, in my view) informal nature of their continuity announcements (particularly when Ed Newman is the day’s host) and partly due to the additional special reports and interviews concerning items of interest - mostly from or about Cuba or other Caribbean, Central and South American countries, but also on occasion from other areas of the world - that may be broadcast on an ad-hoc basis between these scheduled programs. Additionally, the National News is some days repeated again at the end of Hour 2 as a filler when there have been fewer special reports included. So, with that caveat:
Times: 1900-2000(Hour 1)*, 2300-2400(Hour 1)*, 0000-0200, 0200-0400, 0400-0600 and 0600-0700(Hour 1);
* = Programs listed below are heard on the previous UTC day at 1900 & 2300.
Sunday Hour 1
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx18 On This Day
xx20 Viewpoint I (International Commentary)
xx23 Cuba Today
xx30 The Jazz Place
Sunday Hour 2
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx19 Viewpoint II (National Commentary)
xx23 Corner Taken Quickly (Football)
xx35 Music with a Message
xx55 National News
Monday Hour 1
xx02 This Week in Cuba
xx20 The World of Stamps
xx30 Top Stories in Sport This Week
xx45 The Weekend Mailbag Show
Monday Hour 2
xx02 International News This Week
xx15 The Arts Roundup (Weekly Review)
xx30 Cuban Music and Musicians
Tuesday Hour 1
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx18 On This Day
xx20 Viewpoint I (International Commentary)
xx30 Medical and Scientific Report
xx42 Cuba Today
xx50 Sport Report
xx57 The Arts Roundup I
Tuesday Hour 2
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx19 Viewpoint II (National Commentary)
xx30 Two Wings of the Same Bird (Puerto Rican issues)
xx35 Sport Report
xx40 The Arts Roundup II
xx45 Focus on Africa (Music of Africa)
Wednesday Hour 1
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx18 On This Day
xx20 Viewpoint I (International Commentary)
xx26 Cuba Today
xx34 Connecting the Dots (Political/historical commentary)
xx49 Sport Report
xx53 The Arts Roundup I
Wednesday Hour 2
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx19 Viewpoint II (National Commentary)
xx36 Sport Report
xx45 The Arts Roundup II
xx52 National News
Thursday Hour 1
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx18 On This Day
xx20 Viewpoint I (International Commentary)
xx30 The Midweek Mailbag Show
xx46 Sport Report
xx53 The Arts Roundup I
Thursday Hour 2
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx19 Viewpoint II (National Commentary)
xx30 The Voice of José Martí
xx39 Sport Report
xx46 The Arts Roundup II
xx52 National News
Friday Hour 1
xx02 National News
xx10 International News
xx15 The Weather Report
xx18 On This Day
xx20 Viewpoint I (International Commentary)
xx32 Cuba Today
xx39 From the Bookshelf
xx45 Sport Report
xx52 The Arts Roundup I
Friday Hour 2
xx02 National News
xx10 International News
xx15 The Weather Report
xx19 Viewpoint II (National Commentary)
xx28 The Front Seat (LGBTQI rights)
xx45 Sport Report
xx52 The Arts Roundup II
Saturday Hour 1
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx18 On This Day
xx20 Viewpoint I (International Commentary)
xx30 The Caribbean Outlook Show
xx43 Sport Report
xx52 The Arts Roundup I
Saturday Hour 2
xx02 National & International News, Weather
xx19 Viewpoint II (National Commentary)
xx25 Voices (historical political commentary and interviews)
xx37 Visit Cuba
xx43 Sport report
xx49 The Arts Roundup II
Ad-hoc Special Reports are not listed above and account for any apparent gaps above. Especially notable in the new schedule is that The Jazz Place is now thirty minutes long, and is now heard weekly during the first hour. Additionally, Music with a Message (which previously alternated each week with The Jazz Place) is also weekly, and heard during the second hour. Both these programs are heard on Sundays (and The Jazz Place also in the 1900 and 200UT broadcasts the previous day). On Mondays is a new program, Cuban Music and Musicians heard weekly in the second hour, replacing the fortnightly From Havana program. Also of note are two political history programs: Connecting The Dots (Wednesdays in Hour 1) and Voices (Saturdays in Hour 2). Finally, whilst the Mailbag Show continues to be heard twice a week, there is now only one edition a week, with the midweek edition being repeated at the weekend.
(Alan Roe, Teddington, UK via WOR io group)
