Information Minister Hails Broadcast Collaboration and Media Coverage of Visit by US President and Caricom Heads

Minister of Information, Senator the Honourable Sandrea Falconer, is hailing the collaboration of state agencies as well as private media as they worked together to bring live and reported coverage of the visit of President of the United States of America, the Honourable Barack Obama and Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community from April 8 to 9.

The Jamaica Information Service (JIS), the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC) and the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) pooled their resources to operate as host broadcaster and facilitated the live coverage on radio and television stations here in Jamaica, with the live television and audio feed provided to regional and international media, as well as for streaming to local and overseas audiences on the JIS and other websites.

The broadcast collaboration involved a partnership with Television Jamaica (TVJ) and CVM TV which contributed equipment and personnel to boost the production capacity. Telecommunication services were provided by LIME/FLOW.

“I am particularly pleased with the synergies and quality of the feed to the stations,” the Minister said. “The production crews worked long hours in planning meetings and on site visits to ensure that Jamaicans and overseas audiences had a first-hand view of the activities associated with the visit,” she added, while commending the media fraternity for their full cooperation with the arrangements that were in place for the coverage.

There was high media interest in the President’s arrival; the Bilateral Meeting with Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller, at the Office of the Prime Minister; the CARICOM-USA Summit at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters, Mona; the President’s Town Hall Meeting with Caribbean and Regional Youth Leaders; the wreath laying ceremony at the National Heroes Park and the President’s Departure.

The Minister also commended the Communication and Public Affairs Division of the Office of the Prime Minister for leading the discussions with US officials in relation to the arrangements for the local and overseas media in order to maximize coverage, and ensure adherence to the security measures.

She thanked the telecommunication providers LIME and FLOW for working closely with the technical teams to deliver the infrastructure required for the live broadcast, DIGICEL for contributing SMS messaging of public advisories and the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) for providing its premium service for transporting the media.

Media liaison services were provided by representatives of the OPM Communication and Public Affairs Division, the JIS, the Government Communicators Group, the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Defence Force.

More than 300 persons from local and overseas media houses were accredited for the visit. Ninety-six were from overseas.