Digital vs. state media in Cuba: counter-flows and support for normalizing US relations

Introduction This study examines how digital vs. state-controlled media consumption shapes support for normalizing US-Cuban relations in Cuba during the 2014 to 2016 thaw period. Methods Using individual-level data from a 2016 nationally representative NORC survey of Cuban citizens, we test three hypotheses concerning the effects of digital media consumption, state media consumption, and their interaction. Results Digital media consumption is positively associated with support for normalization, state media consumption is negatively associated with support, and state media consumption dampens the positive effect of digital exposure. Discussion The findings show how competing media flows operate in an authoritarian context, where governments counter dissent not only through censorship but also through counter-narrative strategies.