PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar will declare open the Annual general Assembly of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) which begins today at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara

Among the issues  to be deliberated on are digital transitions, public service broadcasting, the business of broadcasting, traditional media and new media and other related topics which are influencing the broadcasting landscape.
At the forum there will be representatives of broadcasting entities in the Caribbean as they meet for the 44th Annual General Assembly of the CBU.
This is according to executive member of the CBU, and General Manager Acting of National Communications Network (NCN) Michael Gordon,  on Thursday at a press briefing
He pointed out that in addition, CBU President Shida Bolai and CBU General Secretary Patrick Cozier will be present at the opening and the other activities.
He disclosed that the CBU is partnering with the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) in hosting a two-day workshop, after the conference headlined “The Business of Broadcasting in a Digital Age.”
This workshop is intended to set the quality for effective business evaluation of broadcasting in the future, and how the media can effectively utilise Information Communication Technology (ITC) capacities to expand distribution, access, and value-added services to consumers.
Gordon posited that the CBU will also be focusing on going forward in a new digital media age that is based on the whole note of digital broadcasting, for by 2020, the CBU is expecting to cease analogue  transmission and commence strictly digital  transmission.
Gordon said that this CBU General Assembly is expected to be one of the CBU’s biggest and most interesting activities in the particular context of today’s media world.
He noted that there are plans in the pipeline to have the delegation experience some of the culture, flora and fauna and scenic beauty of Guyana, which will also be showcased in the conference video to be produced in the aftermath of the meetings.
Gordon asserted that there has already been the establishment of a local organising committee to arrange all facets of the conference, with support from the Government of Guyana.
The Caribbean Broadcasting Awards, described by the CBU as the region’s premier media recognition event, will take place at the Princess Hotel on August 22, under the patronage of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds. The conference will be facilitated by the National Communications Network (NCN), acting as the local host member for the CBU.
Headquartered in Barbados, the Caribbean Broadcasting Union’s membership consists of persons representing radio and television entities across the Caribbean. The union was formed in 1970, and is registered as a non-governmental organisation.