Caribbean Broadcasting Union

Caribbean Broadcasting Union[1]
Formation1970 (1970)
TypeUnion of broadcasting organisations
HeadquartersBridgetown, Barbados
Members31 active members in 17 countries and dependencies
Official language
English
Websitewww.caribroadcastunion.org

The Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) founded in 1970 is a not-for-profit association of public service and commercial broadcasters in the Caribbean. Its secretariat is located in Barbados.[1][2]

Beginning in the mid-1980s, the CBU created several regionally syndicated programmes including CaribScope, Caribbean Newsline, Caribbean News Review, Caribbean Business Weekly, Talk Caribbean, the Caribbean Song Festival, Riddim Express and the CaribVision television news exchange, among other programmes.

Leadership of the association is mainly rotated between representatives of the affiliated media houses. On 9 June 2000 the commercial operations of the CBU and the Caribbean News Agency were merged into the Caribbean Media Corporation, also based in Barbados, which has carried on the business of television production begun by the CBU.

The CBU's current mandate includes the facilitation of some broadcast services, representation, and training of the staff of member stations in support of a unified Caribbean community. It holds an Annual General Assembly (AGA) in one of the member nations every August. Member stations are drawn from the 15 member nations of the Caribbean Community, with the exception of Haiti. Other member stations are drawn from several nations in the Caribbean area.[2]

Membership

Full members

As of May 2026, 23 public and private organizations have full memberships. These organizations range from radio and television broadcasters, newspapers, magazines, and media educational institutions.[3]

Country Broadcasting organisation Abbr. Year
AnguillaRadio Anguilla
Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda Broadcasting ServiceABS
BahamasBroadcasting Corporation of the BahamasZNS
BarbadosCaribbean Broadcasting CorporationCBC
Starcom Network
BelizeGreater Belize MediaGBM
ColombiaTeleislas2017[4]
CubaInstitute of Information and Social CommunicationICS
CuracaoTeleCuracao
GuyanaNational Communications NetworkNCN
Newsroom Guyana
JamaicaPublic Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (formerly Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation)PBSJ (JBC)
RJRGleaner
MartiniqueRichès KarayibRK2026[5]
MontserratRadio MontserratZJB
Saint Kitts and NevisZIZ Broadcasting CorporationZIZ
SurinameAlgemene Televisie VerzorgingATV
DIME Network
Trinidad and TobagoCaribbean Communications NetworkCCN
Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago (Corporate Communications Department)[a]
TTT Limited formerly Trinidad and Tobago TelevisionTTT
Content Capital TVWESN
Turks and Caicos IslandsRadio Turks and Caicos

Associate members

As of May 2026, 8 public and private organizations are associate members.[3]

Country Broadcasting organisation Abbr. Year
BarbadosBarbados Government Information Service[b] [8]BGIS
UWITV Global (University of the West Indies)UWI
BelizeBelize Broadcasting Authority[c]BBA
GrenadaGovernment Information Service [d]
GuyanaGuyana National Broadcasting Authority[e]GNBA
JamaicaCaribbean Institute of Media and CommunicationCARIMAC
Creative Production & Training CentreCPTC
Trinidad and TobagoMersu Caribbean Consulting Group

Former members

This is a list of known former full and associate members are found from archived sources. As of September 2025, 20 were found as former members.

Country Broadcasting organisation Abbr. Defunct Defunct Reason
AnguillaKreative Communications Network[12]KCNNo
BermudaBermuda Broadcasting CompanyBBCNo
CubaCuban Institute of Radio and Television[12]ICRTYesReplaced by the Institute of Information and Social Communication.[13]
DominicaSAT Telecommunications[14]SATYesAcquired by Digicel[15] and later rebranded as Digicel Play.[16]
GrenadaColumbus CommunicationsYes
Grenada Broadcasting Network[14]GBNNo
GuyanaMulti Technology Vision[14]MTVNo
JamaicaPhase 3 Productions[14]No
Radio Jamaica[14]RJRNo
MartiniqueMartinique 1ère[12]No
St. LuciaGovernment Information Service[f] [12]Unknown
Radio St. Lucia (rebranded as Saint Lucia FM) [14]RSLFormerly wasShutted down on due to financial reasons.[18] The frequency has been revived by the local government on August 1, 2025 as Saint Lucia FM.[19]
Sint MaartenSint Maarten Cable TV[14] (formerly operated by Viya)YesAcquired by the TelEm Group.[20]
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesNational Broadcasting Corporation (NBC Radio)[12]SVGNBCNo
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation (SVG-TV)[12]SVGBCNo
SurinameSurinaamse Televisie Stichting[12]STVSNo
Trinidad and TobagoDirecTV Trinidad[12]No
Caribbean New Media Group (C TV)CNMG & C TVYesReplaced by TTT Limited.[21]
US Virgin IslandsViya[12]No

Non-member affiliates & associates

List of presidents of the CBU

  • 1970–1973: Ray Smith
  • 1973–1975: Leo de Leon
  • 1975–1976: Ron Sanders
  • 1976–1980: Frits Pengel
  • 1980–1984: Terrence Holder
  • 1984–1987: Frits Pengel
  • 1987–1991: J.A. Lester Spaulding
  • 1991–1999: Vic Fernandes
  • 1999–2002: Gordon “Butch” Stewart
  • 2002–2013: Vic Fernandez
  • 2013–2018: Shida Bolai
  • 2018–2021: Gary Allen
  • 2021–2022: Kayleaser Deveaux-Isaacs
  • 2022–2024: Claire Grant
  • 2024–present: Anthony Greene

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago is under the name of Corporate Communications Department and is a department of the Trinidad and Tobago Government[6]
  2. ↑ Barbados Government Information Service is a department of the Barbados Government.[7]
  3. ↑ Belize Broadcasting Authority is a agency of the Belize Government, under the Prime Minister's Office.[9]
  4. ↑ Government Information Service is a department of the Grenada Government.[10]
  5. ↑ Guyana National Broadcasting Authority is a department of the Guyana Government.[11]
  6. ↑ Government Information Service is a department of the St. Lucia Government.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 Staff writer (2024). "Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU)". UIA Global Civil Society Database. uia.org. Brussels, Belgium: Union of International Associations. Yearbook of International Organizations Online. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Membership". Caribbean Broadcasting Union. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Our Members". Caribbean Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 2025-12-15. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  4. ↑ "Teleislas ingresa al 'Caribbean Broadcasting Union'". El Isleño (in Spanish). San Andrés. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  5. ↑ "CBU Welcomes New Member Richès Karayib". caribroadcastunion.org. 2026-01-05. Retrieved 18 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "Departments". ttparliament.org. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Barbados Government Information Service". gov.bb. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "BGIS". gisbarbados.gov.bb. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  9. ↑ "Belize Broadcasting Authority". Retrieved 18 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "Grenada Government Information Service". gov.gd. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  11. ↑ "Guyana National Broadcasting Authority". gnba.gov.gy. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Our Members (Sep 2021)". Caribbean Broadcasting Union. 2021-09-19. Archived from the original on 2021-09-19. Retrieved 2025-09-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ↑ "Surge el Instituto de Información y Comunicación Social en Cuba (+ PDF y Video)". Cuba Debate. 24 August 2021. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Member Organisations (April 2016)". Caribbean Broadcasting Union. 2016-04-01.
  15. ↑ "Digicel acquires cable TV operation". The Jamaica Gleaner. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  16. ↑ "BUSINESS BYTE: SAT Telecommunications becomes Digicel Play". Dominica News Online (DNO). Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  17. ↑ "St. Lucia Government Information Service". govt.lc. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  18. ↑ "Fedee addresses issues surrounding closure of Radio Saint Lucia". Archived from the original on November 17, 2019.
  19. ↑ "A Familiar Frequency 97.3FM returns to Saint Lucia Airwaves under the banner SAINT LUCIA FM". July 30, 2025. Archived from the original on December 15, 2025.
  20. ↑ "TelEm Group inks takeover for Sint Maarten Cable TV". Comms Update. 2016-10-10.
  21. ↑ "CNMG to be wound up, TTT returns". The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian Newspaper. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
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