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-   -   Good journalism in Barbados (https://britishexpats.com/forum/barbados-109/good-journalism-barbados-513637/)

Jack Bowman Feb 11th 2008 8:35 pm

Good journalism in Barbados
 
Does the sovereign nation of Barbados, in its print media, have a single journalist (just one, just one) who would be judged by any serious new organization to be an actual investigative journalist? If so, can you give me his or her name?

In this entire country, is there one single person who has grown up enough to stop being a reporter and become an actual journalist? Is there? Just one? Can I have her name? You read the Advocate. You read the Nation. I assume this of residents. If you’re a non-resident thinking of moving here, can you stand the laugh-out-loud infantilism of the local press?

Of course, if your idea of journalism is “The Sun” in London, then, by definition, your life is wretchedly sad, and I’m not interested in your opinion.

I’m interested in the opinion of others. Is Barbadian journalism as laugh-out-loud comical as the columns of its main newspapers?

And, to reiterate, is there one single person on this island (irrespective of the nature of their reproductive organs), who can rightly claim to be a journalist? Does this country have a journalist What’s her name? What’s his name?

I read all the national papers every day, from beginning to end, and I’m still unsure as to whether the sovereign nation of Barbados has spawned one single independent journalist.

If you're the kind of visitor to this site who worries about schools though you know zero abut the nature of human social development, good luck to you.

And to the minority who are left, can you give me the name of a good Barbadian investigative newspaper journalist? Just one? One ? Please?!

zanne Feb 11th 2008 9:39 pm

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
Jack--there really isn't an answer to this, the Nation and Advocate are both rubbish, and there is no way of knowing the credentials of the "writers." After the story about the stolen pig tails the other day I think I have had enough. As you know, I do read the various blogs.

The other day I read a story on Ian Bourne's blog: Bajan Reporter (http://bajanreporter.blogspot.com/) in regard to some attempted carjackings in the St.Peter area on Route 2A (it certainly isn't a highway), my husband and I both use this road often. If it weren't for Ian's attempt at reporting, and desire to get information out there that people can really use, we would not have known about this and other incidents in the area. My husband is not easily swayed, and real NY'er, and he has actually changed his driving route when he leaves work at night.

What else is there to say? I do feel that if the blogs, a la, BFP and BU become big enough, they may go to established print versions someday. I think that Bajanboy reads those 2 as well, at least BFP. It is a bit difficult knowing that I will be here indefinitely (by choice of course) and not have a source of day to day information regarding the various goings on in the Country.

brionyj Feb 13th 2008 1:09 am

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
Hi Zanne,

You mentioned reading about car jackings in blogs - I have received a circular e-mail about this but nothing else. can you shed any light?

Thanks

expat_wannabe07 Feb 13th 2008 8:54 am

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
Jack - seems you share the views of the Barbados Free Press. If you delve back thorugh their posts you will understand the reasons for the lack of investigative journalism in Barbados...

http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/

zanne Feb 13th 2008 5:53 pm

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
brionyj-- I read about two separate incidents on bajanreporter and BFP, as well my husband was made aware of what had been happening near where he works on Route 2A. There was apparently an attempted hijacking incident, with the intent to mug, with an Island Safari tour group on the East Coast a week or 2 ago.

All of this really points to common sense safety, whether you are alone, as a woman, or with your husband/significant other, etc.

My husband and I were discussing why these incidents don't make the "so-called" newspapers last night... I guess the upshot is that there is a fear that reporting negative incidents will impact tourism. The persons that moderate BFP are convinced that the Natalee Holloway incident in Aruba will mar Aruban tourism for all time, in my mind this young woman put herself in a compromising position in a foreign country, and unfortunately the worst happened. Here is a link:

http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.c...alee-holloway/

brionyj Feb 15th 2008 12:14 am

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
Thanks for that; interesting reading.

:)

zanne Feb 15th 2008 12:37 am

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
I'm not an alarmist (well maybe my husband would say differently) but you just need to get as much information as possible so that you can protect yourself-- here or anywhere for that matter. Knock on wood--I spent 11 years in NYC without incident. BFP has some good information and some useless information, but I find that the blogs at least fill in some of the gaps where traditional media (for assorted reasons) leaves off. Anyway...

Bajanboy Feb 16th 2008 11:50 pm

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
Jack:

You should write for the Barbados Free Press. No one knows who they are, but you can begin by posting comments on the various stories (perhaps you already are). You can also write them directly on

[email protected]

If you wish, you can remain anonymous by asking them not to public your name or e-mail address.

John

zanne Feb 17th 2008 12:01 am

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
Bajanboy...they (the BFP'ers) once posted, sometime last year, that they were all headed to Wayne Jackman's Birthday Party at the Limelight-- my husband was there but he had no idea who he was looking for!

Too funny...

Bajanboy Feb 17th 2008 1:17 am

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 
Yes, they like to play games like that :rofl:.

Jack Bowman Feb 18th 2008 5:38 am

Re: Good journalism in Barbados
 

Originally Posted by Bajanboy (Post 5943135)
Jack:

You should write for the Barbados Free Press. No one knows who they are, but you can begin by posting comments on the various stories (perhaps you already are). You can also write them directly on

[email protected]

If you wish, you can remain anonymous by asking them not to public your name or e-mail address.

John

Thanks a mill, John. I’ll do exactly that. I don’t think I can stand, without expressing some frustration in some forum, spending the next four years here reading two newspapers that remind me of mid-70s Pravda.


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