María Salomé Campanioni, a distinguished journalist with a remarkable 40-year career in Cuban radio, has passed away. She died of cardiac arrest on Tuesday, July 7th, in Havana at the age of 63. Her work earned her the prestigious Micrófono de la Radio Cubana award.
The news of her passing was shared by the Portal de la Radio Cubana with "profound sorrow," highlighting her as a "joyful, tireless, charismatic, and outstanding professional and human being." They lamented her departure as a "significant loss for Cuban radio."
A Pioneering Career in Cuban Radio
Campanioni's illustrious career spanned notable stations such as Radio Rebelde and Radio Reloj. At Radio Rebelde, she directed the Noticiero Exclusivo and served as the head of information for the Haciendo Radio segment. At Radio Reloj, she was instrumental in creating the correspondent and collaborator movement for Cuba's oldest news channel. Her author profile on the Portal celebrates her four decades of uninterrupted service.
Digital Innovations and Legacy
Her most notable contributions were in the digital realm. Campanioni founded the web system and the Portal de la Radio Cubana on the Internet, developed the first radio profile on the social network X with the handle @radionline, and established the National Internet Editorial Group for Cuban Radio. She also advised on the creation of the Digital Magazine En Vivo. Her colleagues affectionately called her “SaloWeb,” a nickname that captured her life among screens and microphones.
Tributes and Remembered Friendships
Álvaro de Álvarez, a colleague from Radio Rebelde now in exile, shared a heartfelt message on Facebook titled "The Greeting That Came Late," recounting the career of the beloved "Negra." He revealed how Campanioni, during the harshest years of the Special Period, suggested using Joan Manuel Serrat's song "Hoy puede ser un gran día" as the theme for Haciendo Radio. Years later, even when Álvarez had left Cuba, she became the director of information for the same segment. In 2020, Campanioni reminded him of that moment with a message: "Congratulations Álvaro, I still remember you making life stories and affirming that today can be a great day. Sound hug."
Álvarez also highlighted a defining trait of Campanioni: "the ability to stand before a cataclysm and point out, without irony or slogans, the little that still mattered." A significant virtue in today's Cuba, plagued by crumbling streets, power outages, and mass exodus.
Despite being separated by 26 years since Álvarez left Cuba in 2000, Campanioni maintained contact with him through social media. "She never stopped telling me she cared, even though I wore the invisible label of someone who left," Álvarez noted, appreciating her personal loyalty in the face of political pressures.
Reinaldo Cedeño Pineda, a writer and National Award-winning Cultural Journalist, also bid her farewell publicly: "Thank you for opening the doors of your home, your family, your soul... Rest, my dear sister. I am mourning you in solitude. So many paths left to walk."
Campanioni's death adds to a series of losses that have recently affected Cuban radio. In December 2025, René Parapal Reinoso, a Radio Rebelde announcer, passed away, followed by journalist Santiago Ramírez Frías of Radio Ciudad Bandera in May 2026. When her colleague Celia Guido died in 2020, Campanioni wrote words that now serve as her own epitaph: "Some people leave, but remain. That is a pure reality."
Insights into María Salomé Campanioni's Impact
What were María Salomé Campanioni's major contributions to Cuban radio?
María Salomé Campanioni was instrumental in creating digital initiatives for Cuban radio, including the founding of the web system and the Portal de la Radio Cubana on the Internet. She also established the first radio profile on the social network X and formed the National Internet Editorial Group for Cuban Radio.
How did Campanioni influence her colleagues during her career?
Campanioni was known for her ability to inspire and guide her colleagues, as seen in her suggestion to use Joan Manuel Serrat's song as a theme for Haciendo Radio. Her leadership and innovation left a lasting impact on those she worked with.