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The General Assembly is being held in Guyana this year, under the theme “The business of broadcasting in the digital age.”
The CBU has partnered with the Government of Guyana, with the National Communications Network (NCN) as its operational host, to execute the assembly, which is being attended by delegates from across the Caribbean.
The President noted that the issues which will be deliberated in the assembly, pertaining to the Caribbean in the digital age and Information Communication Technology (ICT), are central to the region’s continued well-being.
“The Government of Guyana continues to applaud and support the CBU and its work. We believe that the CBU’s leadership in the broadcast sector, especially its role in ensuring that the broadcast industry remains technologically relevant,” he stated.
Ramotar pointed out that the meeting is taking place to consider the modernisation of broadcasting, added that it is important that this is done, since the growth and development of technology is affecting every aspect of life.
“We in our region must consider this, since we cannot afford to be left behind,” he remarked.
He said that in the world today, information is crucial to socio-economic progress, noting that the growth of digital technology has strongly impacted on goods and services in many parts of the world.
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
The President noted that Guyana in particular has seen tremendous development as a result of digital technology. He alluded to Guyana’s growing ICT sector, for instance, and highlighted that this sector has made a big contribution to job creation over the last decade.
According to him, digitisation and ICT have the possibility of increasing access to information and helping to reduce the information divide in society. This, he said, is extremely important for strengthening and building a strong democracy.
Ramotar stressed that he has recognised the importance of all the workshops that will be held as part of the meeting, and assured that the government is aware of the legislating framework necessary and sufficient for digital broadcasting and for its allied technology.
He related that digitisation is now seen as pertinent to broadcasters, as the analogue dispensation is rapidly becoming outmoded. As such, he said that the government believes that this is a “game changer” for the entire industry, which will also significantly benefit distributors, multi-system operators and local cable operators.
“Government therefore must, with great understanding, planning and appreciation, examine digitisation with a focus on digital divide and its socio-economic consequences,” he stated.
The President advised that, as the region moves to modernise its systems and adopt universal best practices, one of the issues that should be on the assembly’s agenda should be working to reduce the cost of these technologies, as some of them are very costly.
In addition, he said that while this new technology has great potential for good, it also has great potential for harm.
“While we can all agree to the great benefits that we can derive from the new technology, let me also note that if not properly used, it can cause much damage. That is why it is important that you must concern yourselves with the ethics and morals in this sector,” he emphasised.
According to the president, some persons often misuse media facilities, simply because they own them, to conduct “crusades of slander”, to impose their personal points of view on a society and attack persons who disagree.
As such, he advised that strict standards should be set and held as important in the uses of new technology.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the NCN board and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr. Prem Misir, said that the theme of this conference, “The Business of Broadcasting in the Digital Age” is timely, and in sound compliance with the digital transition penetrating the global media landscape.
He noted that, among other benefits of digital broadcasting, it frees up large slices of the broadcast spectrum for other uses, such as public safety communications from the police, fire, rescue teams, or other emergency purposes.
Misir pointed out that on June 16, 2006, in Geneva, Switzerland, 104 countries, with over 1,000 delegates, adopted and signed the International Telecommunication Union’s Treaty Agreement to switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting.
He related that the commencement date for the switchover was June 17, 2006, and the deadline to complete the switchover is June 17, 2015.
He further pointed out that the United States and 18 countries in Europe have already effected the switchover, but many countries are still straggling along the transition route.
COLLECTIVE PURSUITS
“The delegates’ presence at this conference, coupled with our own broadcasting fraternity, speak volumes, symbolizing that we are all together in our collective pursuits, we have all dedicated ourselves to work as a team, to share our views, discover innovative partnerships, and seek resolution to significant broadcasting problems. In the end, our job is to comprehensively and competitively digitalise broadcasting,” he asserted.
He advised that the forum will probe several critical matters relating to digitisation. Among these, he highlighted: comparative digital television standards, stages of digital transition; digital dividends referring to financial benefits and technical innovations; enticement of advertisers with 360-degree marketing; integration of social media with digital broadcasting to forge stronger audience loyalties generally and specifically in relationship to environmental hazards; broadcasters’ relationship to the social media framework; and journalism in the digital age.
Misir said that the gathering from the Caribbean and beyond provides a rare forum that could present some ground-breaking paradigm shifts in broadcasting aligned to the requirements of the digital age.
“The challenge over the next few days is to refine the characteristics of our digital broadcasting experience and speak about the value added of this experience for the good of the Caribbean,” he added.
Meanwhile, Secretary General of the CBU, Mr. Patrick Cozier, advised that through the partnership with the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, which was represented at the forum by its Secretary General Ms. Sally Ann Wilson, there will be a two-day executive workshop with focus on the business of broadcasting in a digital age.
“There will be many changes, many challenges, but we believe also many opportunities; and over the next two days, by bringing in a panel of experts from across the Commonwealth, we are able to have a look at what some of the implications are for digitisation and digital transition, and how we as broadcasters can benefit from opportunities that will necessarily arise,” he stated.
Cozier related that in addition to the focus on broadcasting in the digital age, they will also focus on some traditional core areas, such as the progress of public service broadcasting in the Caribbean, skills development and capacity building, and advocacy and representation of the Caribbean voice in the international forum.
