Information Minister Urges JIS to Combat Misinformation and Elevate Communication Strategies

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Information, Skills and Digital Transformation, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, has underscored the role of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) in combatting misinformation.

Senator Morris Dixon, who was addressing the two-day JIS Strategic Planning Session at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Thursday (September 26), noted that “the impact of misinformation can be damaging to our democracy, to our economy, and to our collective well-being”.

Consequently, she emphasised the urgent need for prioritising real-time responses to false narratives through an enhanced misinformation monitoring and response mechanism.

Minister Morris Dixon said in light of an estimated 90 per cent of the world’s data being created within the last two years, “at no point in history has the role of information been more critical”.

She highlighted the global trust deficit in online news consumption, calling attention to the JIS’s crucial role in dispelling misinformation.

In this regard, Senator Morris Dixon encouraged the JIS to elevate its communication strategy and expand its fact checking.

This, she added, against the background of the agency’s pivotal role of ensuring that, as the Government’s principal communications arm, credible, reliable and high-quality information reaches every Jamaican.

Senator Morris Dixon also urged the JIS to harness the power of data analytics for more informed decision-making.

“Data analytics, especially vis-à-vis our social media presence, is going to be critical and central to everything that we do,” she emphasised.

The Minister maintained that by leveraging insights from audience engagement metrics, the agency can craft strategic communication strategies that resonate with the public and enhance trust in government information.

Senator Morris Dixon also charged the JIS leadership to shift towards innovative communication approaches, challenging the agency to rebrand as the expert marketing and communication consultancy provider for the Government.

“Your voice will shape the way the public understands, engages with, and ultimately trusts the Government,” she stated.

Additionally, Senator Morris Dixon encouraged the JIS to adopt mobile-first content strategies and embrace a more interactive approach to engage citizens effectively.

“We must develop more mobile-first content strategies that deliver snackable, digestible information in the formats our citizens prefer,” she advised.