10 CARICAD ASSISTS ZJB RADIO MONTSERRAT Continued from previous page on the Internet though a website and social media pages. Radio Montserrat had become a high-quality broadcast entity prior to the eruptive volcanic events that began in 1995. One indicator of that fact is that several of its broadcasters moved on and gained places over the years at the then BBC Caribbean Service. It is also worthy of note that a former Station Manager, Ms. Rose Willock was inducted into the Caribbean Broadcasting Union’s Hall of Fame in 2015. However, the general and widely held opinion is that today the station does not maintain the same quality of broadcasting throughout the day and night that most listeners would wish to hear. The concerns regarding the standard of broadcasting resulted in the Government of Montserrat seeking technical assistance from CARICAD to deliver a short but intensive Capacity Building initiative for the staff of Radio Montserrat. CARICAD agreed to mount a technical assistance mission to Montserrat. The mission was understood to be the first effort of what is hoped can be a series of interventions by CARICAD. It was accepted that the mission to Montserrat, employing face-to-face engagement, was essential as a foundation for any future technical assistance. The intervention sessions for the mission were facilitated solely by CARICAD’s Supplementary Associate Franklyn Michael. The mission extended from October 31st until November 5th, 2022. The priority intention was to: Stimulate a commitment to a higher standard of professionalism for on-air staff by sharing suggestions and practical ideas for excellence in broadcasting. That was particularly important because the station has a global reach (online/Internet, social media) that exceeds its “Community Radio” philosophy and Continues on next page
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