The Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) has expressed sadness at the news of the winding down of Newsday, citing technological changes and economic pressures affecting the media industry.
In a statement, the TTPBA Board of Directors acknowledged that technology changes worldwide have impacted many industries as societies adapt and develop different consumption habits, with print media being particularly affected.
“The journalists who gather the news are in the end, an important part of the democratic society in which we live,” the statement read. “From this standpoint our members must redouble our commitment to the population that we serve.”
The association emphasized the critical importance of media at this juncture, noting that “internationally, the world powers have, before our eyes, been changing the rules of civil society.”
According to the TTPBA, consolidation in the industry has been under consideration among some media houses and has been quietly taking place as organizations grapple with ongoing changes. The statement highlighted that businesses across Trinidad and Tobago have experienced reduced trading activity due to low foreign exchange availability, creating a confluence of several factors affecting the sector.