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“The impact of social media on the bottom line was to be expected; negative impact on the traditional advertising model has been observed globally over several years.
“What has been equally apparent is the painfully slow and piecemeal approach taken by management at national media houses to invest in new strategies, training and technology to more effectively prepare for the inevitable.”
The following is a Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) release on the retrenchment of 30 Trinidad Express and 19 TV6 media workers:
The Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago stands in solidarity with dozens of media workers facing the dread and uncertainty of retrenchment. Workers across several media houses have already been terminated and it is likely that this trend will continue across the sector.
At all levels of news production, reporters, editors, photojournalists, technical and press room staff alike are facing this reality. MATT extends great empathy to these colleagues, many of whom are specialised professionals in our industry.
While many businesses in Trinidad and Tobago are experiencing sharp declines in revenue, the news and broadcasting business model is doubly affected by flourishing social media alternatives. The impact of social media on the bottom line was to be expected; negative impact on the traditional advertising model has been observed globally over several years.
What has been equally apparent is the painfully slow and piecemeal approach taken by management at national media houses to invest in new strategies, training and technology to more effectively prepare for the inevitable. Workers who now face the breadline might well be justified in feeling that this latest round of retrenchment might have been mitigated by more progressive and timely interventions.
MATT urges media owners to adhere to industrial relations best practice and to, at the very least, offer their retrenched workers financial and other counselling that could assist them in navigating their immediate future.
Our executive and members are available to assist in any way that we can.
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Is this serious? This has been on the cards for months and MATT can only find a comment to make after people have been sent home?
Look, gie we a chance, allyuh hear? The tiem to intervene MEANINGFULLY is before people lose their jobs, not AFTER!
Is new technologies have them on the breadline
Empathizing with media workers not going to put food on their table. Sound financial advice and giving them the necessary tools to utilize their skills to create an income is the way to go.
The most expensive daily sending people home . Strange eh ?
Is that the one where the owner died? If so, that is a different issue.
We can expect to see the impact of technology in other companies and the public service though the unions fight the job losses instead of working on retraining. At least that was what they did.
No, its not.
Lasana….in fact….no comment…
MATT didn’t mention the 30+ from another station that’s closing down?