Magdiel Pérez Labrada

Recognized and established Cuban radio broadcaster. Leading voice of Radio Rebelde. Considered one of the best hosts of Cuban radio. Despite his young age in radio, he stands out for the sympathy that emanates along with the radio waves, for his richness in vocabulary, his command of technique and dynamism, being considered as a young paradigm of idiomatic culture.

Magdiel studied a degree in Scientific-Technical Information and Library Science at the Faculty of Communication at the University of Havana. He has participated in a wide number of workshops and professional development events in radio.

While still very young, he became involved in the world of news, reporting for Órbita matinal as a pioneer correspondent from his Secondary School in his hometown Las Tunas. Recording one or two minutes caused him unspeakable happiness. He was one of those listeners who called radio stations constantly and participated in programs. This is how he began to connect with Radio Victoria. He tried to make the most of his time there: he prepared musical productions one moment and answered phones the next; he watched attentively the work of the directors... Until one day a host was missing and director Eddy Crespo Vargas, now at Tunasvisión, gave him the opportunity to sit in the booth.

This experience, which began to be daily, was interrupted when he enrolled in Preuniversitario in Holguín. But when he returned home on weekends, he would go to Radio Victoria to host with four voices the youth program Comando, which aired on Saturdays at four in the afternoon.

Later he moved to Havana to study Scientific-Technical Information and Library Science at the Faculty of Communication at the University of Havana. He reconnected with radio thanks again to Eddy Crespo. He had previously had a brief experience at Radio Metropolitana. When he was in his third year of studies in 1997, one night while standing in a long line at the International Latin American Film Festival, he learned that Radio Cadena Habana (RCH) was looking for a broadcaster. Eddy Crespo himself introduced him for the audition. He remembers sitting next to Laritza Camacho. They asked him to improvise, present a musical piece and then interview her as if she were Liuba María Hevia. The director was satisfied and he joined the Siete y treinta juventud team, where he remained for seven years. There was a time when he was doing four daily programs. He would leave the University at one in the afternoon, and from five to nine, he became a radio man: the magazine Entérese, the Provincial Radio News from Cadena Habana. He continued this even when he started working at the Academy of Sciences of Cuba at the Capitol as a specialist in Scientific Information, a task he later did not continue after being given the opportunity to do more programs at RCH.

He then decided to dedicate himself entirely to this profession of broadcaster. In 2005 he arrived at Radio Rebelde. There he began in the popular space MB Caribe, which had been hosted by recognized figures such as Joaquín Mulén, its founder; Eduardo Ferrer. He was on trial from November until December 31, when Ramón Espígul, its director, told him: The program is yours.

He entered Haciendo Radio to substitute for Luis Rodolfo Serra in national news for 15 days, with Luis Morlote Rivas, President of the AHS at that time, as director. Later, in August 2006, Morlote called him to take over cultural news. He accepted immediately and was then offered to host the program, after Carlos Figueroa decided to return to Sancti Spíritus.

He appeared on television in programs such as Con signo de amor, from the Educational Channel, and the magazine Hola, Habana, from Havana Channel.

Confessions of Magdiel Pérez Labrada
Working at dawn: Although the rigor of early mornings is hard and very demanding, I feel very comfortable, because we have a director who brings together, unites, strengthens each person's potential and tries to minimize the bad times. It's a very well-managed team in general and where each person knows the function that corresponds to them. We start arriving here at three in the morning, the program ends at 9:00 a.m. but tomorrow's program begins when today's ends, and to be prepared you can't distance yourself much from the world and the news. The program is a devastating train for men and women. Because of the schedules and the pace, because of the responsibility we have to our audience and to the station itself.

Current broadcasting in radio and work for young people: What worries me most is that there was a time when these media professionals were not prepared, when there were established professionals, very experienced voices, who could have contributed much in that regard. Today a broadcasting course, which can last three months or a year, gives you a certificate that enables you to work in any space, when in reality the preparation is not entirely solid. It is true that more spaces should be offered to young people, but they have to improve and not believe that you are something just because you got there. You have to go step by step, read tirelessly, cultivate yourself, stay informed, listen to a lot of radio. Sometimes I'm horrified by the things I hear: very banal programs, people saying incoherent words and phrases, nonsense... And one wonders how it's possible that they're there, which has to do not only with whoever dared, but with who prepared them. If we don't make that comprehensive training work more rigorous, we are putting at risk a medium that, in addition to entertaining, educates. Let's not forget that young people have alternative channels and they turn us off. We have to find a way to be more attractive without losing rigor.

Joys and sorrows: Beyond not wanting to make mistakes, mess up, or make errors in what you say, the greatest sorrow is not being able to solve the problems that people deposit in you with complete trust. You get excited when they call because they believe in the program. But it's sad when nine in the morning arrives and you can't give them a solution. However, on the balance of emotions, joys weigh more. Thanks to Radio Rebelde and Haciendo Radio I have gotten to know my country. Full of satisfaction when you're in a place and people come to the booth to greet you, they identify you, and refer to things you say daily. It's a tremendous reward.

Magdiel Pérez in the program Hola Habana
Television: Truth be told, in the end, it came to me. Before I had knocked on its door, but it didn't open. Perhaps my size, my face, lack of charisma... I don't know... So I gave up. When I thought I no longer had possibilities, Marino Luzardo proposed me to take his place in Con signo de amor. Because of this program the magazine Hola, Habana, appeared starting in March 2010. Without a doubt, television gives you the benefit of image which is very powerful. Unquestionably, one hour of TV equals ten years of radio in terms of social recognition. But on radio I feel at home. Fortunately, the Havana Channel team is very professional and you work with them in a very pleasant environment. I constantly receive not only the support of the magnificent presenter Sandra Hernández, but from everyone.

His entry to Haciendo Radio: I confess that the day I should do it, I was sweating cold until 4:59 a.m. Until that moment I kept telling myself: I can't, the challenge is too big for me... I never imagined myself in that chair, in front of that microphone, in a program of such magnitude, of such rigor. On March 12, 2007 I became the host of the program.

Love for radio: Listening to it all the time that little bug was inoculated into me and I believe it will never die.

At the end of 2022 Magdiel emigrated to the United States via the Dominican Republic.