By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
SHENIQUE Miller, host of the daytime talk show The Conversation, is disappointed ZNS has terminated her contract after what she says is the huge success of the show.
She believes politics played a role in her departure and emphasised yesterday that she has never pursued a political agenda.
When she was called into a meeting last Monday, she was informed her contract would be terminated effective January 31 — shortly before it was set to expire — with officials claiming her show was not making enough money, she says. News of the termination caused social media to explode with commentary.
“The advertising dollars were coming in,” she told The Tribune. “It started very slow. I lodged a complaint with management in 2018 letting them know I wasn’t pleased with the show’s performance given what I had done at Guardian Radio. My message wasn’t received very well by them but I continued to work and a turnaround happened in 2019 because they had new managers in charge of sales and marketing so there was a very good accounting of the advertising dollars coming in. I made most of the dollars from people coming in to book time to talk about their events, their products, their business, etc.”
A manager at ZNS said her show brought in $35,997 in 2019, she said.
“This show was resonating and doing well and potentially did even more than this amount given the problems we have accounting for advertisement dollars,” she continued.
“At the end of 2018, I brought in just in excess of $7,000 and I had to fight for just two full days for a show because if I didn’t, I’d have paid guests five days per week. I had to fight for two full days without paid guests because people want to enjoy the show. I want to make ZNS money but I want to present what people came for so it could be a nice little balance.”
Ms Miller, who did not shy away from discussing government controversies on her show, says a day prior to her meeting at ZNS she was warned of her impending termination by someone who overheard a conversation at an event.
“I figured the show was rubbing whomever the wrong way,” she said yesterday. “The show discussed a broad range of topics but I talked about national issues and whatever is happening in the country at a given time. We brought them to people and gave our perspectives, our analysis and so on. I’ve been previously warned that I needed to do some things differently.”
Her contract was to expire this month, on February 14.
“I feel very disappointed,” she said. “Every move I have made through my career has been an effort to maintain my professionalism and my objectivity, particularly in the talk show space. I always made an effort not to wear political colours or push one party over the next on my show and as a host I do not discuss politics, I do not bring biases because I realise I have responsibility to myself and then to the Bahamian people not to try and lean one way. I have worked hard to do that. Yes I know many people have painted me as a FNM and that’s okay but nobody has heard from my lips that I go campaigning for any particular party or that I got on my show to push an agenda.”
After the 2017 general election, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis told staff of Bahamas Information Services and ZNS: “The chains that were on you yesterday have been broken.” He said his administration would free the government owned corporation up to conduct its business fairly and professionally.
Mike Smith, chairman of ZNS, declined to comment yesterday on Ms Miller’s departure.
“That’s an internal matter, we’re not going to comment on it,” he said.
Comments
joeblow 4 years, 2 months ago
This is a third world country. Everything in this country is political. That's just the way it is!
spoitier 4 years, 2 months ago
Use your notoriety to start an internet radio show, you can talk about any topic you like and compete against any show they put in your former timeslot.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
Shenique is a great host. I did notice that she was hitting out at govt performance especially after Dorian. And I noticed it because I was surprised ZNS management allowed her freedom to speak negatively (even if it was true).
She will continue to do well wherever she goes
birdiestrachan 4 years, 2 months ago
This spiteful revengeful Government is at it again, She seemed to be in the FNM corner?
I am not familiar with her show.
OMG 4 years, 2 months ago
Oh common, the PLP take the trophy for victimization. I can name people in sernior positions who were moved and replaced by a inexperienced PLP voter. Or a drug lords wife who suddenly became head of National Insurance in Eleuthera with no previous experience. Nothing changes ,its just third world politics.
joeblow 4 years, 2 months ago
@ OMG... to put it another way, the PLP, having been in power far longer than any other party, has had far more time to victimize far more people than the FNM!
bogart 4 years, 2 months ago
Shenique Miller was the best in her work for ages, talking on health and many topics. Loved the endless workaholic, loved the long long hours of being there during Hurricane Dorian given nation up to date what is going on. Whoever is looking on sales should know that companies have too little money to allocate for sales ads. Sales people are not aware of the state of the economy last Cavalier Company closing. Luckly they have been able to obtain something because of Shenique instead of nothing and now with this terminating pushes nation to listen to other radio stations.
Millennial242 4 years, 2 months ago
The trend of listening to other radio stations started long before this...ZNS needs a full re-branding.
DonAnthony 4 years, 2 months ago
Her show was boring and unsurprisingly unprofitable. Did not perform well and got fired, nothing to see here.
joeblow 4 years, 2 months ago
@ DonAnthony ... ZNS is a propaganda tool for the government of the day. I would be surprised if any show at ZNS actually turns a profit. Were it not for government subsidies, ZNS would have closed down decades ago!
DonAnthony 4 years, 2 months ago
I agree with you 110%.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 2 months ago
The shutting down of free speech and efforts to control media are typically found in countries with a corrupt, arrogant, nasty and incompetent political leader. Such a political leader is inclined to behave more like a dictator because of his own insecurity caused by an increasing ground swell of opposition from the electorate at large.
Millennial242 4 years, 2 months ago
I made a personal goal to consistently follow the media and "dailies" over the past year and a half. While I am extremely familiar with Shenique Miller's professional work, I have to say that I have not once had an interest or even remembered her new show. I remember seeing an advertisement about it a long time ago...but that was it. I think it had more to do with that fact that it was on ZNS (a very OLD station in the eyes of persons 40 and below). She definitely has a journalistic presence! My unsolicited advice: connect with a local social media consultant, rebrand yourself, start your own media program (use instagram/youtube/podcasts) for an initial platform, and then watch the cash come in from advertisements. I'm under the age of 40 and your presence is still impactful. Get out your comfort zone and claim your own crown...seriously. Rise above the back and forth with ZNS...a station which is consistently losing viewership and listeners.
sheeprunner12 4 years, 2 months ago
ZNS was to be converted to a public broadcasting station by the FNM …….. talk is cheap.
But Shenique has to blame herself for entertaining Lincoln Bain and Obie Roberts with no restraints ………. No Government will entertain the constant bruising on public TV …….. Let her take her show to Island Luck TV and compete against Darold Miller at 11am-1pm.
tetelestai 4 years, 2 months ago
A note about Shenique's show, if I may. Preface, I have no idea - nor do I care - whether the demise of her show was due to "politics" or otherwise. I am merely commenting on the show itself, which - quite frankly - was not a very good show. Shenique's command of the English language, for a journalist, is amateurish - at best. Her diction and ability to pronounce words is substandard, and that is if I am being charitable. Her command of topics that she is supposed to be discussing is basic, surface level and without an ounce of nuance thought. For example, her interview with Brent Symonette regarding the leasing situation was uniformed, ignorant and again, amateurish (I am NOT speaking of the politics of the situation, just the questions that should have been asked by a journalist seeking information about a situation for listeners). Finally, like so many new talk show hosts of the day, there appears to be something fascinating with speaking informally, off-the-cuff, jokingly, apathetically. As a talk show host, one's job is to be serious, direct, probing - not "yucking it up" with one's guest (most talk shows are guilty of this, by the way). Shenique's show, in my view was simple at best and, in all honesty, it is no great loss that the show is gone. Perhaps a more informed, professional can take that timeslot and provide the critical analysis that we need.
Lima_Sierra 4 years, 2 months ago
Ma'am your show was boring. You spoke at a seminar that I attended, and THAT was boring. I saw you at a live remote and you were boring there. Nothing political, you're just BORING!
The End.
TalRussell 4 years, 2 months ago
Never once tuned into comrade sister's talkie show, so not fair comment as to host's pluses or minuses - but nobody needs have it explained them that when you decided be working in a forever changing industry talkie show hosts - shouldn't expected have PopoulacesPurse to protect their paycheques. Yeah, no? Even the talkie guardian's radio station is about make final decision to, or not to, remove off the air - one their more prominent talkie hosts?
hrysippus 4 years, 2 months ago
She hosted a show that I listened too only rarely because it was boring. Businesses did not want to invest their advertising money into her show. The show was losing too much money. End of show. Simple. If Shenique thinks otherwise then she should buy airtime from one of the radio stations, put on her own show and sell her own advertising time to fund it. Entitlement at work yet again.
sheeprunner12 4 years, 2 months ago
Soooooo, based on the above comments about Shenique's show being amateurish, boring, ignorant, lacking proper elocution etc ……. justify Darold Miller, Rodney Moncur and Orthland Bodie as talkshow hosts.
I detect a sexist view on this topic.
DonAnthony 4 years, 2 months ago
Not sexist at all. All your adjectives apply to these men except one..boring. They are anything but boring, they are colorful and over the top and full of personality. People tune in to be entertained not put to sleep. Listening to Shenique’s show was like consuming a handfull of sleeping pills.
Lima_Sierra 4 years, 2 months ago
@sheeprunner12, are Darold Miller and Orthland Bodie hosts on ZNS? If not, then there's your answer. Shenique is on a show at the PUBLICLY funded station, so if she's not bringing in advertising dollars, then you can understand why her being any of the above has nothing to do with being sexist. Darold Miller and Orthland Bodie work for private stations, which means that whether they bring in money or not, it matters not to us. Whether she is a man, woman or cat, if her show is not cutting it, then why not cut it?
hrysippus 4 years, 2 months ago
Ok Sleepyrunner12, I will now justify both Darrell Miller and Ortland Awful Bodie; Ummm…...Well...…..Errrr….Let me think, I will get back to you on this one...…..
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