Radio Jamaica Celebrating 70 Years

Page 40 Sunday July 4, 2021 VISIONARY THE RJRGLEANER MERGER The 2016 merger of the RJR Communications Group and The Gleaner Group of Companies displayed the visionary nature of the executive bodies of both entities. From the late 1990s, media, globally, had been undergoing massive changes. The prevalence of the Internet created a new cadre of journalists and pseudojournalists who reported on news, entertainment, and current affairs via forums, podcasts, blogs, and Internet groups. As a result of this new reality, established media houses had to transition to the new technologies in order to maintain their market share. The advent of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and a host of other social-media platforms made it absolutely essential that media houses embrace the new technology in order to maintain their market share with established subscribers and extend their reach into the youth market. Following on this trend, RJR, which started as a radio-only company, diversified its offerings into television, cable services, piped music for offices and other public areas, and multi- media services, including advertising design and magazine design and editing. Many of these services crossed over into what would normally be considered the domain of the print media. At the same time, The Gleaner Company Limited, long the leader of print publication in Jamaica, expanded its offering to include radio services through Power 106 FM, and subsequently, Music 99 FM, and video content on its Internet platforms. Already, both entities were unknowingly preparing for the merger, which became a reality in 2016. What did The Gleaner gain? The Gleaner had slowly been losing purchasers for its printed newspapers, both daily and weekly, while it had been building up its online subscription service. Internet subscription, however, creates a fraction of the revenue earned from Left: Lester Spaulding, Chairman of the RJR Communications Group and Oliver Clarke, Chairman of the Gleaner Company shake hands on the merger in 2016 continues on page 41