The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

MAJOR changes at the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas are expected to take place on Monday, as several senior staff members take up their new posts.

According to sources within ZNS as many as six senior journalists – including prominent personalities Clint Watson and Shenique Miller, as well as news director Beverly Curry – have been reassigned to make way for new personnel.

Sources say beginning Monday Shenique Miller, Clint Watson, Syann Thompson and Carla Palmer will be transferred to local programming.

Instead of news, the employees reportedly will now be responsible for creating television shows and programming. Beverly Curry has been moved to Head of Research.

Julian Reed, a previous employee of ZNS, has been re-hired and will be in charge of local programming.

News reporter Andrew Knowles, a former Jones Communications employee, is the first of many “new, fresh faces” to be hired, sources say.

Andrew Burrows is also expected to begin on Monday as executive news director.

The Tribune was unable to contact the journalists, but understand they were issued letters explaining the changes yesterday along with their new positions - which does not include salary increases.

Earlier this month, executive chairman Rev Dr William Thompson said that ZNS’s restructuring was designed to make its television programming more appealing to the public and regain the viewing audience it had lost over recent years.

With regard to the shifting of newsroom personnel, Dr Thompson suggested ZNS was attempting to bring fresh faces to the fore in order to enhance its nightly news product.

“In order to bring a fresh focus to news, several staff adjustments will be made including new hires to replace those persons reassigned to television production and programming,” he said.

“Management met with the affected staff members individually on August 16, 2012 to advice them of the impending adjustments.”

However, one insider said: “No matter what they claim, I believe they are targeting people perceived to be FNMs. In the case of Clint and Shenique, it’s just because they covered the FNM rallies.”

Another source said: “Isn’t it ironic that everyone removed had been assigned to cover that campaign?”

Sources also claim the union has not come to the employees’ aid. President of the Bahamas Communications & Public Managerial Union, Bernard Evans could not be reached up to press time for comment.