Prior to January 1, 1959 , the Cuban press was noticeably corrupted by and servile to foreign interests. During this time, both civilian and military factions of the Batista dictatorship made the press give no coverage to their repressive policies or find excuses for hiding them. Once the Revolutionary Forces seized power, the mass media was transformed, leading to changes in ownership and to a process in which journalists who had discredited their profession were deliberately left out.