GCACC Let's Talk Forum Part 2

The next issue will contain some discussion about the GCACC Let’s Talk forum. Pick up a copy to read more about the issues that arose.

But I will mention one thing that came up at the meeting. Apparently, there is a lack of support from the business community for the Caribbean owned newspapers. This means that the businesses are choosing to spend their advertising dollars in other areas. Members of the audience said one reason for this is that the Caribbean owned newspapers are unreliable and late in delivery and does not have the same reach as the larger newspapers do. So the question was posed: can there be some collaboration among the various Caribbean newspapers so that there can be an alternative to the larger newspapers? There was general snickering and laughter in some areas of the audience at the question. The consensus is that each newspaper is unique and each has different strengths and so a combination would not be ideal

Here is my take on this: In today’s business environment alliances and mergers are not uncommon. There is an emphasis on looking for new ways to do business to create win-win situations for all parties involved. Should two or more Caribbean newspapers combine, there could be some value in that.

That would result in two things that would prove beneficial to the Caribbean community. First, there would be an alternative newspaper that will provide reach across the tri-county area that business owners can spend their advertising dollars with. Second, if advertising dollars are being spent elsewhere, then the Sun-Sentinels and Miami Heralds will have to take notice. Then they will have to pay more attention to the Caribbean community and dedicate more column inches to the community. And of course that is one of the complaints that we have with the larger newspapers.

The reluctance to work together by the Caribbean newspapers therefore is not in my opinion, business related. It could be a question of culture. As a community we have to trust each other which is the aim of organizations such as the GCACC. Events such as the Let’s Talk forum do go a long way to work across these cultural biases. Hopefully, with time we can get to a point these newspapers (and other businesses) would collaborate and join forces to give us a stronger voice and a concentrated economic power.