For fifteen years, at noon accompanies the daily lives of thousands of Cubans who, from Monday to Saturday, tune in to Cubavisión to be informed, entertained and share a space that is already part of their routine.
Conceived as a lively and diverse program, the space has been able to adapt to the pulse of the country and the expectations of its audience. This 2025, the program celebrates its 15th anniversary, a date that invites us to look back at its evolution and permanence in the public’s preference. This report approaches that trajectory, the voices that have built it and the human and professional mechanism that sustains, day by day, one of the most emblematic proposals of Cuban television.
Much of its acceptance and impact rests on the group of drivers that supports it, faces and voices who, with talent, charisma and professionalism, have managed to establish a close and lasting bond with the audience.
The faces of at noon
Reflecting on his career in the program, Marino Luzardo He remembers that, at the beginning, the public suggested that he should be more fun. “I told them that I’m not like that; if they called me it’s because they wanted the program to assume my personality. That was always clear to me. One must take things towards who one is as a person. I couldn’t fake a character to carry out a project. Naturalness, for me, is the most important thing,” he says.
With remarkable confidence, he assures that media professionals must be prepared for everything, since many things can happen in a live program. “at noon It is full of surprises. It has happened to me that I am going to interview someone who I consider may not have much to say and it surprises me. Sometimes the opposite happens: I have high expectations and the guest does not give the interview I expected.”
Marino is one of the word professionals who is constantly learning and puts that knowledge at the service of the space. “Modestly, I have been able to contribute what I know about general culture and my way of defending speech. I have done it responsibly. You always win, because you learn a lot,” he says.
In his words, he also highlights the strength of the professional bond with his colleagues. “We have an efficient team. Regardless of the fact that sometimes we do not agree on criteria, we move forward so that the result is what the public deserves.”
It recognizes that it is not always possible to please such a wide audience, but the effort is constant to offer a quality proposal. “I would like the program to return to the provinces, as in previous stages. The people deserve it and will appreciate it. That contact with the public is enriching. In addition, I would like it to have a conception closer to the showwith a larger space so that large-format groups can perform,” he concludes.
For its part, Barbara Sanchez Novoa was linked to at noon 12 years ago, while doing social service. “Carlos Rojas, who was my boss in the Propaganda and Advertising Division, told me about the possibility of entering a midday slot. The idea stayed there, as projects sometimes tend to stay. Then came the changes and transitions. They wanted to unify all the channels into a single presenter and they tried me,” he recalls.
Graduate in Sociocultural Studies, Baby, as the public affectionately knows her, reviews her entry into the space and reveals the complicity established from the beginning with her colleague. “I was excited and nervous; it was the first time I had come to a large and challenging project. The beginnings were stressful and sometimes I doubted that I would be able to meet the public’s expectations. I remember that Marino Luzardo advised me not to try to replace the way of other colleagues, but to find my own stamp, not to put pressure on myself and enjoy every moment. Those pieces of advice have accompanied me to this day,” she reveals.
The communicator, originally from Camagüey, considers this opportunity a significant step in her career. “I have stood out in an area that I really like, writing scripts linked to relevant women. It also gave me the possibility of not staying alone on the billboard, of researching, getting closer to the artist and discovering the human side of each guest,” he points out.
Owner of a distinguished language, she thanks her co-workers. “Each specialty works well. There are many people who, anonymously, do excellent work. Behind them are lighting, camera, sound, set design and image design professionals. They provide you with incredible security when you arrive at the studio. This is reflected in the team led by Odalys Torres, who works magic so that the artistic product comes out with the highest quality,” he maintains.
The group is also made up of Pedro Martínez Arcosan announcer trained in radio who has found another of his passions in television. “Everything I know about this medium I have learned in at noon. My first experience on the small screen was in this studio. For me it has been and continues to be a privilege,” he says.
With a truthful and approachable style, he has managed to capture the attention of viewers for 13 years, alternating with Marino Luzardo in different stages of the program. “Every day I run the space I discover something new. It has required me to delve deeper into the interview, a complex genre, and expand my general culture, my knowledge of art and literature.”
Martínez Arcos has respected the style of the program, contributing his imprint. “It’s not about imitating, but about respecting my speech and way of being. I have added my rhythm: I am less temperamental and perhaps more phlegmatic. I come from the radio and I use some codes from that medium, without them conflicting with those of television.”
A more recent face for viewers is that of Maria Luisa Bringasa presenter with extensive experience in radio who has known how to integrate into the dynamics of the space. Like his colleagues, he recognizes that being part of at noon It has been a great opportunity and a privilege. “It’s a dream come true. I participated in the casting and I was chosen. From that moment on, it has been a challenge to replace Baby, who created a label, an image and an audience that loves her,” he says.
With the passage of time, he has been imprinting his style on the billboard, which viewers receive with the freshness and naturalness that characterize it. “In some way we are all involved in making the program and we try to contribute every day so that it has that appeal that the public seeks and demands,” he adds.
When thinking about possible contributions to the project, the actress also proposes new sections. “You could think of a weekly segment to publicize the programming of the main cultural centers and the events that take place in the country and are of interest to viewers,” he points out enthusiastically.
On the other side of the camera
The technical team has been fundamental in the results achieved by at noon. Its specialists, led by director Odalys Torres, work focused on defending the project. “The leader of a group must unite wills and be clear about the objective of each broadcast. Television is a choral work; if everything is not well articulated, it does not work or you wear out. My role is to be clear about what I want and know the characteristics of each person to know how far I can demand and make everything flow,” explains the director of the program.
The Artist of Merit of Cuban Television (2025) He has known how to maintain coherence and harmony in his work environment. “I have tried to differentiate what I do here from other spaces that I direct. It is complex to go on air under the conditions imposed by the current context: a guest arrives or not, the program has to be broadcast. The challenge is to not stop being in love with the project, fight for it and move it forward,” she says.
He also shares the desire to promote a more direct exchange with the audience. “We would like the public to give their opinion live, to tell us what they want, to interview them so that they can show us the route to follow. We have done it temporarily, when possible, especially in the summer stage. That is something that people need.”
During the exchange in study 15, the advisor Magalis Arias expressed her pride in belonging to this great family. “My role is linked to the assistant, the producer and the director, with whom I work from the stage of Afternoon at home. “It has allowed me to benefit from all the specialties and the guests with whom I have been able to interact.”
He stressed that admiration and professionalism are essential for the operation of the program, broadcast by Canal de Todos. “I wish that we continue to be liked by the population and that we can constantly provide feedback. That is very important for the work we do and will help us to be better every day.”
Arnaldo Díaz joined the words of recognitionlinked to space for several seasons and currently first assistant director. “I am the assistant director’s closest collaborator and I am in charge of guaranteeing the guests, thematic plans, the realization of each program and its airing.”
As he speaks, he watches the studio being prepared for the next broadcast. For this experienced specialist, the true demand of creative work is proven in the dynamics of a live program. “Every day new knowledge is sought and skills and abilities are acquired to create a space of this type,” he points out.
The post production director, Osvalmis Rodríguezalso shares his testimony about a program that has marked his career. “I take care of everything related to post-production: images, search for information about the guests and audiovisual support. In addition, I am part of the team of scriptwriters,” he says.
He started as an assistant director and, thanks to courses and workshops at the Radio and Television Training Center, he has grown professionally until assuming direction when circumstances have required it. “at noon It has been a school. You can have everything planned and, suddenly, what was conceived collapses, forcing you to grow. You always have to foresee alternatives. This space airs daily thanks to teamwork,” he concludes.
The television program, which combines information and entertainment, has been characterized by addressing relevant and current topics of national events. Its fifteen years in the public’s preference not only reaffirm its permanence, but also the impact achieved on an audience that, every day, delves into one of the main bets of the flagship channel of Cuban Television.
