ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says it has entered into a one-year agreement with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) aimed at improving the work of regional broadcasters and journalists.

CDB President Dr Hyginus “Gene’ Leon told the 54th annual CBU general meeting here that the region’s premier financial institution has been eager to partner in providing training to upskill reporters, editors, and content creators to utilise digital channels more effectively for presenting development and financial data in engaging ways.

“At CDB we have confidence in the work of regional media and want to promote a stronger role for development communications. Over the past eight months the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), a financial instrument of the bank, has focused on increasing its visibility in the Caribbean as well as developing a knowledge management and communications strategy to guide a sustainable approach to information sharing.”

Leon said that as part of this focus the BNTF has engaged with the CBU to sponsor a category of its annual media awards focusing on BNTF strategic areas, namely poverty alleviation, education, health, gender, and climate change, and would be run across multiple platforms such as print, television, radio, and digital.

The awards will be open to CBU’s members in over 20 countries with an approximate reach of 4.8 million persons.

“The sponsorship will be announced at the 2023 media awards and will culminate at the 2024 media awards ceremony. It is anticipated that this award would greatly increase media coverage and visibility on BNTF in all nine participating countries,” he said.

Leon said that as a part of its visibility efforts so far the BNTF has been focusing heavily on video production.

“In addition to sharing these videos on YouTube, social media, and traditional media, BNTF will share these videos with the CBU so that they can be made freely available to CBU’s membership for broadcast. This broadens the scope of dissemination and visibility of the BNTF as well as increases awareness of the social justice and development agenda.

“This agreement between CDB and CBU is for an initial period of one year. The bank is also working on developing other knowledge products for the CBU to disseminate on its share portal — at no charge to members of CBU — to engage our audiences in conversations on development and the future of this region. “

Leon said that there is scope for supporting capacity building to help the media to develop a better understanding of issues affecting development, and to improve the reporting and analysis of these issues.