A mural with the history of media in The Bahamas once in the foyer of The Nassau Guardian depicted the leaders of the times. Credibility along with unbiased reporting also were once in The Bahamas during those times. However, like the huge mural which disappeared in the Guardian, so did the standards and credibility of the media in The Bahamas.
Nassau, The Bahamas – A media war is brewing in The Bahamas as the operators of a Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) – The Nassau Guardian and The Tribune – attempt to raid the media talent out of Jones Communication Ltd.
Reports coming into Bahamaspress confirmed over the weekend that the operators of the JOA intend to clean out the popular Jones Communications [Love 97Fm and The Bahamas Journal]. On top of this, a new Sunday newspaper, The Bugle, has hit the streets of the country.
The Nassau Guardian is set to launch a new radio station with the intent to dominate the broadcasting market in the country. Sources close to Bahamaspress.com has confirmed that the century old newspaper is swiftly moving ahead, collecting talents in the media business, many of whom have already resigned from the positions at Jones Communication including members of Jones management board and VPs, leaving a serious depletion of skills at top management of the radio station and newspaper.
“We are going after every skill we can find,” a board member of ColinaImperial told our newsroom. “We are determined to present to The Bahamas the best of the best in media, and to do this we want the best that is out there.”
Lineup in the new mix of personalities that will join the new Guardian/Tribune Network would be former Publisher and General Manager of The Nassau Guardian and former Sports Editor at the Bahama Journal, Mr. Fredrick S. Sturrup. It is unclear as to what position Sturrup will take up in the JOA, however, the executive at ColinaImperial noted that, “Sturrup would bring much new energy to the new team.”
“Fred, as everyone knows, is the best in the business, he produced some of the best programmes known in the sporting arena and the composition of his management skills at the paper as publisher in the 90s is a record unmatched. He is competent, capable and ready.”
Also joining the new team would be former Senior Vice President at Jones Communication for Marketing and Sales Buena Wright. The executive noted that, “Wright, like the wife of Barak Obama, can be best described as “the closer” when it comes to marketing plans and strategies in the broadcasting business. She single handedly delivered record breaking profits to her former employ [Jones /Love 97FM] and we expect a high energy when she joins this now powerful A-team at the 160 year old Newspaper.” The source said.
Media houses in the country are all tight-lipped about this new twist in the media landscape of The Bahamas. However bahamaspress.com is not surprised, as this is the same way they have suppressed news and information in the country.
One observer upon hearing the interesting twist of things in the media environment noted, “We, in The Bahamas, have sold the country, its land and in that package thrown media in the bag. I am glad to see a new Sunday newspaper [The Bugle] now hitting the streets of the country. There is another opinion now out there in this new Sunday newspaper, as it is clear, I cannot trust to the papers from; the Guardian, Tribune, Freeport News, nor listen to 100 Jamz, 96.5FM, YFM, 101.9 Joy and Cool96 Nassau, as all these are now managed by one group.”
The Bugle is said to be published every other week is the newest kid on the block, and at first glance of the product over the weekend, the paper confirmed its attempts to join as an investigative arm of media, [which is a huge void in The Bahamas].
There are now over 16 radio stations countrywide with more than a half of them struggling for the same advertising dollar. The new venture by the Guardian/Tribune operation speaks much of the appetite of gullible Bahamians, to have all, and in the process would kill another to fulfill their unsearchable greed.
Bahamaspress would remind our readers that it was back in 2004, when the partners of the ColinaImperal team parted ways, Jones Communications took the risk and presented the story to the public, exposing practices by the company then, in reference to pension funds. Operator of the company, James Campbell and all his management team were eventually dismissed out of the ColinaImperial operation. Our source in ColinaImperial noted, “Its now payback time for Wendall Jones and his Jones Communications operations.”
I did not know, that it could be possible..
First off let me say that i really like your site http://www.bahamaspress.com a lot
now.. back on topic hehe
I cant say that i agree with what you typed up… care to clear things up for me?
There were even more accomplished reporters who graced the doors of The Bahama Journal/Love 97 news… not appreciated Like Mindell Small, Michael Pintard and Royanne Forbes, who left the company for one or more reasons ..who are making waves in the media.
Infact for many pay was a major factors.
Nevertheless, I honestly feel Mr Jones will continue to produce exceptional reporters..thnaks to Tanika Lundy…news director who can be touted as one of the best Journalists in this country.
The company does in fact need a proper Human Resources Manager… Jones daugther has no attitude and poor management skill.She is simply UNPROFESSIONAL AND PETTY!!!!!!
Check it out..Jones, I wish you could read these things. I hope someone can sit you down and let you read this. First of all, I’m sorry for your losses, but I must say, people with very high and valuable qualifications deserve proper pay. It’s an extreme disgrace when business men/women want to pay well qulified folks scrap change. It’s time to step into the shoes of other people and also recognize their needs and expenses. Whether or not this is a competition, MORALS is a very important factor. So if you’re gonna cheat your employees, then as a result (AS IT IS SEEN NOW), You’re gonna get cheat yourself.
LIVE A LIFE OF HONESTY AND FAIRNESS.
STOP ROBBING YOUR OWN PEOPLE
THAT GOES NOT ONLY FOR JONES, BUT FOR ALL BUSINESS PEOPLE. SCRAP ARE FOR POTCAKES..so until you recognize that your employees are valuable, they are going to look for something better
DAS MY 5 dollars- (Jones Stop Givin Ya 5 Cents)
Your internal customers (your staff) can make or break you. Talk on the street is Jones don’t pay his bills neither does he pay his staff well. His family members are paid top dollars and are dumb as a door bell. Has he ever heard the saying “you have to pay to play”. Once your take care of your staff there is NO need for them to look elsewhere for employment that allows them to take care of themselves and their families. When will Wendal Jones learn? Look at the list of names of qualified persons who have graced his staff and he has allowed them to walk away because of bad pay and poor treatment.
WOW, I’m shock to hear this about Mr. Jones. Thought he carried himself a little more better than that. I hope what you describe here is not a true reflection on Mr. Jones because of what I’ve seen of him on TV and in the public he seems ot be a refined and Christian Man.
Ladies, gentlemen; no need for character assasination. I imagine he’ll learn from this and treat his new employees much better IF this is the real reason why they left.
Keep up the Good Work BahamasPress.com
Devard, Mr. Jones himself uses profanity when dealing with his employees. he apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree!
This is the real world…your comments are so true. Jones pays his daughters with no experience top dollars and all they are good for is to purchase gucci and appear to look attarctive. His daughter in HR don’t know this first thing of dealing with humans as she often used profanity while dealing with the employees. And his daughter who is the accounts manager is just behind the eight ball in that area. No wonder why the lights keep going off and persons are not able to pick up NIB checks when they get sick because morons are in the top positions.
I hate to be the “conspiracy theorist” here, but Colina Imperial may have more than payback for a story back in 2004 on their mind. Everyone knows that their owners are some of the money men behind the FNM. Maybe this is also payback for the excellent investigative reporting they did in going to Exuma, finding John Rolle, and adding real firepower to the Mona Vie scandal. They also have a debt to pay, as was said, for the cancelling of NHI. I notice that Candia Dames is not on the list to go.
jones needs to readjust his company’s policies toward journalists and pay them more money and offer incentives to remain on board.
look at some of those that have left – Darold miller, ed bethel, mike smith, jeff lloyd, julian reed, kishla smith, sharon turner, rogan smith, erica wells, fred stirrup, stephen gaye… just to name a few.
now rumor has it that macushla pinder and juan mccartney, two of the heaviest hitters in radio and tv in the country are leaving…
yes, he tends to bounce back after people leave, but why does no one ever come back?
these are all very intelligent, college educated people. if the company were compensating them, they never would have left.
at the end of the day of course Wendall Jones will be okay. but what does it say about bahamian people that only one should benefit from the work of many?
Jones concept of TV is in need of development. He could become serious and have a bar none news commentary show, without playing up to the FNM. DO A AMERICA TYPE SHOW. HE WITH ENEAS IS A TOTAL BORE. PUT ON SOME OLD AND NEW US SHOWS ON TV. Colina has everything, the FNM should not have given them a radio station too. COLINA IS BLOCKING THE NATIONAL HEALTH BILL, BUT THE PLP IS TOO LAZY TO EXPLOIT IT. WHEN WILL HUBERT GIVE CABLE BAHAMAS TO THE BAHAMIAN.
THIS IS THE REAL WORLD! This is plain and simple competition and Mr. Jones lost the bid. Isn’t ironic that ALL of this top executives left?! Did he counteroffer? Was he offering competitive salaries and benefits? Obviously not, because over 5 employees would not leave the company if they were happy.
Mr. Jones has all of his children with no experience in top management positions. Let them now re-build the company. Let them now DO some work instead of rolling the waves. There isn’t a proper HR manager that would have a clue about the morale of the company. If people aren’t happy and they have choices, they are going to leave! THIS IS THE BUSINESS WORLD.
Mr. Jones needs a wake up call. Do you think Bill Gates is going to allow over 5 of his top executives leave the company for a competitor? ABSOLUTELY NOT! GET WITH IT BAHAMAS! STOP SETTLING FOR MEDIOCRITY. IF YOU CAN DO BETTER, DO BETTER! IT’S BUSINESS! At the end of the day, the boss is making more money than you!
I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mr. Jones. He is the stuff that legends are made of. The man is indeed talented and has an eye for talent. It’s not every day that a Black man rises to such prominence, especially in the media world.
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t want his company to fold – it certainly won’t. Many talented people have left and his company has rebounded. What I’m saying is that Mr. Jones didn’t want to pay his staff. He must’ve seen this mass exodus on the horizon.
People are not going to be content working for minimum wage. When you don’t want to pay respected, educated, experienced journalists then you will have to settle for rookies. Plain and simple.
Many great journalists are leaving his organization. Did he even try to stop it? No. He could care less. That’s a horrible attitude to have. He has to know that he has to value his staff. I wish him the best of luck. Like I said, he’s a talented guy and has built his media empire from nothing. He will rebound and grow.
Listen people, it would only be wise for the competitor to go after the best in the country. This is not the first time that the so called “best” have left Jones Communications. The persons that have left should be thankful to Mr. Jones for allowing them to get the training and exposure that they need at radio conferences and seminars. The market is only so big and while a lot of media companies might not get the amount of money that they have in the past, they will still get a share. But the faith that the new employer has in some of their new staff, will soon see that some of them cannot even write a letter.
I think though what is most important here it to see that Love 97FM and Wendall Jones is the targeted market. It has produced some of the most competent of professionals in the business and that is, if those who left were in a country like the United States, Time Warner [The Bahamian ColinaImperial] would be after them as well. Jones Communication Ltd, has raised clearly raised the standard somewhat of media in The Bahamas, offering a sigh of relief from the ‘BIAS twisted’ style of journalism that has paraded this town for a while now.
This move also proves that Bahamas is maturing to a fact that ONLY the best delivers and in that, the dollar value should follow. We at Bahamaspress.com that believe that whilst Jones Communication Int’l has lost a awesome A-listed team, the visionary and ambitious Wendall K. Jones will now regroup his focus and reset his talents in the organization, as it is clear a powerful unit in media has been given birth from him. As like he came from ZNS and brought forth Love97FM.
I am one knowing all the persons involve, there is no bad blood in this at all on their part. As they are all persons whose umbilical attachments to Love97FM hold gratitude and thanks to a WENDALL JONES for being such a caring parent that had carried them all these years in the womb.
I too grew out of my father’s home and today, I am the possessor of my own.
Bahamaspress/editor
I absolutely agree with you, Omar. Those people have kids to feed, bills to pay, just like everybody else. I heard that those reporters didn’t even have functioning equipment to carry on assignment.
This just shows whats goes around comes around. Mr. Jones pays his family members at that company a killing and turn around and pay his employees copper pennies. Employers must respect vaulable employees and when they don’t this is what happens mass Exodus!!!
Mr. Jones got what he deserved. He was too arrogant, refused to pay his staff and didn’t care to match salary with education, experience and talent. I don’t feel sorry for him. I don’t want his business to go belly-up, but he needs to realize that you can’t treat journalists like crap and expect them to be loyal. I hope all media organizations take note. People will go where the money is and where they feel that their talents will be appreciated.
Jones had one of the most solid news teams around, much better than ZNS’ and he threw it away.
Mr. Jones, You Pay, They Stay. Say No, They Go. You really have nobody to blame but yourself. You must always remember your employees have families to feed also.
They lefy but they will be selling the same product from a different venue. This is what happens when you fail to pay your employees their actual worth. “THEY LEFT FOR MORE MONEY”
it’s that simple.
If the people doesn’t want this they will speak up. If they don’t then go figure. This is sad news for the Bahamas. Hold on Mr. Jones
Comments are closed.