Broadcaster Maura Peña Machado received the Cuban Radio Microphone Award as part of the 72nd anniversary celebrations of the provincial Radio Victoria station. This interview is intended as a congratulation to the entire team at the station.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- Maura Peña Machado has been with the radio station for 45 years. Her name and voice are an integral part of our provincial station. Pampered by her relatives in her early years, she had a happy childhood in the Villa Azul. After arriving in Las Tunas, “the girl of the family” continued on the right path, participating in events, morning shows, reciting poems... “I already had the spark of being an artist inside me,” she says.
Today she remembers how, back then, she and her brother would sit at home in front of the radio listening to Tía Tata cuenta cuentos (Aunt Tata tells stories), while her mother and grandmother preferred soap operas. “They taught me to read and write before I went to school. That's where my passion for books comes from. As a child, I dreamed of being a teacher, but life wanted me to enter this radio station one fine day, and I haven't left,” she says.
“A sweet challenge” is how she sums up the significance of this media outlet in her life. “Since my arrival, Radio and I have been in complete harmony,” she confesses. As if time were turning back before her eyes, she recalls those moments when she climbed the stairs of the station, once located above the Tunas Theater, after landing an office job, which would be her first job. However, she did not last long in that job, as her talent gradually opened doors for her...
“Luis Rodolfo Serra, who was head of the Programming Department, saw in me the potential for other tasks. I also owe a lot to Laraine Ortiz and producer Francisco Zamora. One fine day, Serra and Mr. Metodio Diez put me in front of a microphone; it was unforgettable,” she recalls. She reiterates that broadcasting is extremely complex. “It's not just a matter of having a good voice; you have to study hard, be focused, and be cultured. That way, you can tackle any program and interview all kinds of specialists.”
She has left her mark on numerous programs, including Momentos, Qué buena mañana, La gota de rocío, Huellas, Danzones, and ABC. In the latter, she even works as an actress. “People identify me a lot with Momentos, but I also have a lot of affection for La legalidad socialista, the first one I did and for which I wrote the script. I remember it had a special audience and aired Monday through Friday at noon. With Mañanitas infantiles, I made my debut as an actress, doing character voices,” she explains.
Maura never stopped improving herself along the way and even graduated as a journalist in Santiago de Cuba. She says of this facet of her life: “That passion arose in me while I was already at the radio station. I started studying for a degree in history, then economic statistics, and ended up as a reporter, but always linked to this media outlet. At that time, I was covering the history and culture sectors, which I really liked.”
She also performed other tasks. “I was an advisor, program director, deputy director of programming for a long time... I was in the Methodological Assistance Department and, after working in administration, I moved to the news department. Then I decided to focus on broadcasting, which I had been doing, but from then on I did it full time.”
However, each step in her career has taught her something. "Being an administrative manager for programming was important for me. I was responsible for making sure everything ran smoothly in that area, including the work of the municipal stations. It was a period of great responsibility, with successes and mistakes, but very rewarding. Working in the methodology area, on the other hand, gave me a better understanding of how audiences work, projects... so many things!"
Beyond medals such as the Raúl Gómez García or the 28 de Septiembre, the real reward for her is the connection with the audience. "I have been wonderfully fortunate that almost all the programs I have participated in have been well received by listeners. Momentos, in particular, is a balm for the soul; it has been a real joy to keep it on the air for 34 years. Many have passed through this space, which is the original idea of Laraine Ortiz. But beyond being its founding voice and scriptwriter, what satisfies me is that it has allowed me to meet incredible people who are an indelible part of my history," she says.
As if honoring the name of the program, this proposal has given Maura special occasions. One of them is linked to Rubert González from Granma. "It was unforgettable when that elderly gentleman came from the municipality of Bartolomé Masó, in the mountains, to hear the voice of Momentos. It's such a beautiful story. We already knew each other by phone, but when he arrived at the station one afternoon from so far away and without warning, just to meet me, I was moved."
"The sweet presence of listeners in my life makes me happy, but it is also a huge responsibility, because it forces me to perfect my craft, because I know that there will always be people listening to me, and I cannot disappoint them. Because of that unique feeling and because I love my job, I retired and ended up coming back. A broadcaster must not lack love, compassion, the desire to improve, and, above all, respect for the listener," she says.
