Minutes of the General Meeting
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
New Kingston Conference Centre (NKCC)
New Kingston Business Centre, 30 Dominica Drive, Kingston 10
Present
- Mr Christopher Benjamin, President, Consultant
- Mr Rohan Powell, VP Membership, RJR
- Mr Durrant Pate, Institute of Jamaica
- Mr Ellis James Laing, Bureau of Standards
- Mr Gordon Brown, Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission
- Mrs Gwyneth Davidson, General Secretary, Cabinet Office
Apologies
- Past President Dayner Azzellino, Marc Astuta
- Ms Meris Haughton, Tax Administration of Jamaica
- Ms Maxine Francis, King's House
- Mr Leo McEwan, Ministry of Transport, Works, Housing
- Kimberlyn Williams, Registrar General's Department
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| President Christopher Benjamin, Kimberlyn Williams, Gordon Brown |
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 PM by President Benjamin.
GENERAL DISCUSSION
MATTERS ARISING
2013 Communication Conference
President Benjamin updated the meeting that the New Kingston Conference Centre would be the venue for the conference. The panel discussions for the day were reviewed and further suggestions were made and it was accepted that the conference would be on one day, Friday November 21, and not across two days. The PRSJ aims to have a $5,000 registration fee.
The subject areas for presentation are: News Media; Social Media; Corporate Affairs; PR and Entrepreneurship. It was agreed that the one-day event may facilitate presentation of individual case studies.
In order to cover the material, it was suggested by the meeting that registration will start at 7AM for an 8AM start. The PRSJ executive will publicise this information shortly in order to allow persons to make appropriate plans.
President Benjamin noted that he had approached a highly respected media practitioner as a panelist, and was advised that the appearance comes with a fee. The PRSJ is not in a position to pay presenters. The meeting assigned persons to follow up with several proposed presenters.
K Williams suggested that companies that provide advertising services would be suitable as booth holders for the conference. This view was accepted and billboard, merchandise branding, in-store television monitor branding and printeries would be approached. Jampro would also be approached.
The meeting was advised that Past President Patricia Gillings had agreed to undertake the printing of the conference magazine, which would include a listing of practitioners who are known to the PRSJ.
The PRSJ Christmas event will be an afternoon lyme on December 15 from 1PM to 5PM at the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) at 5 East Avenue. D Pate secured a special rate for the use of the property. President Benjamin will approach Stephen Jones of Boon Hall Oasis on the cost of catering.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was general discussion on topical matters.
Editorial Independence in Newsrooms
It was noted that the PAJ in its event at CARIMAC earlier that day discussed the loss of independence when journalists and editors accepted hospitality from businesses. Meeting attendees expanded on examples of how corporate organisations in Jamaica had pulled advertisements when after giving hotel rooms or day passes to media workers, their direct requests for editorial space were not granted. It was also noted that the editorial managers and business managers in media houses sometimes do not agree on how to proceed on this matter.
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| Durrant Pate, Rohan Powell, Ellis James Laing |
Registration of Civic Groups
The discussions in Parliament on having mandatory registration of civil society groups whose primary goal is to lobby for causes was also brought up. The proposal in Parliament is that this is how the funding of these groups would be disclosed. The general view of the meeting is that such a registration would hamper freedom of expression and create its own bureaucracy.
It was however noted that such groups that had large budgets to do their work should be registered as companies and in this way, the source of funding would be disclosed in annual returns.
Lobby groups that do not have large budgets but do have access to the media were considered to be allowed to have their freedom of expression without regulation.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 PM on a motion moved by President Benjamin.
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