Radio Jamaica Limited (RJR) has provided the following statement regarding RJR’s “Reorganisation Exercise”:
“Kingston, Jamaica. December 14, 2020. The companies in the RJRGLEANER Communications Group on Friday, December 11, completed a reorganisation exercise primarily driven by the negative impact of the Coronavirus 2019 Disease (COVID-19) and the need for continued changes as the global media and communications industry continues to be transformed.
“The exercise which was done over several months saw some positions being made redundant, impacting 107 workers, five of them being managers. In May, the Group had reported that, due to a significant downturn in revenues in some areas of its business, it had been forced to lay off almost 100 workers for 120 days. While there has been some improvement in the last few months, revenues have still not returned to pre-COVID levels.
“The reorganisation exercise was conducted with extensive consultation and negotiation with unions representing workers, with some of those talks taking place at the Ministry of Labour. The Group wishes to record its appreciation for the sacrifice made by the workers and their unions.
“During the period the company also reorganised and reoriented several of its business units and approaches, to be more agile, more competitive and more efficient. They complimented changes which see the Radio and Television areas of the Group being managed as a broadcast division, with the print and online units now managed as an integrated print and online division.
“The Group’s technology activities have also been brought together in a technology division focused on the full digitalization of the Group’s operations and the enabling of a higher level of digital output.
“This focus has seen investments in new management, customer relationship and production systems that will improve customer tracking and servicing, provide data analytics to aid management decisions, as well as delivering data analytics to clients to assist in decision making.
“There has also been investment in new data management and publication systems to improve the consumer experience with our electronic publications, whilst increasing revenue generating opportunities.
“Tighter planning and elements of publication rationalization along the lines driven by closer data analytics have improved aspects of print and online operations. A new digital marketing and sales unit has also been developed to accelerate business growth in the Gleaner’s print and online business.
“The Overseas publications have also been revamped with a discontinuation of the weekly printing of newspapers in the United States and Canada, in favor of electronic publications, with special printed and online publications being done around special diaspora events.
“In broadcast, the local programming content strategy which has served Television Jamaica well, prior to and through the pandemic will continue to be built upon as TVJ is poised and ready to take advantage of the imminent announcement of the change from analogue television broadcasting to digital terrestrial television broadcasting in Jamaica. The switch to digital broadcasts will provide consumers with multiple high quality television services from TVJ.
“The group continued its focus on the diversification pillar of its strategy which has seen a minority stake of 10% taken up in digital marketing player ePost Caribbean Limited at the end of November, and an increase in the group’s equity position in Jamaica Holdings LLC, operator of e-commerce business, Gustazos to 50%, to be effective this month.
“The Group is confident that with this reorganization and other activities it is poised for growth and strengthening in 2021 and beyond.”
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Contact: Chief Executive Officer
876-733-2602
About RJRGLEANER Communications Group: The parent company in the
RJRGLEANER (RG) Communications Group is the listed company Radio Jamaica Limited. Other companies and brands are Television Jamaica Limited, TVJ, Ispotmedia, TVJ Sports Network, Jamaica News Network, JNN, Reggae Entertainment Television, RETV, The Gleaner Company (Media) Limited, GCML, The star, Radio Jamaica 94FM, FAME 95 FM, HITZ 92FM, POWER 106FM, MUSIC 99FM, Multi Media Jamaica Limited, MMJL and Gleaner Online Limited, GOL. The main Offices of the company are at 32 Lyndhurst Road, Kingston 5, 7 North Street Kingston and 19 Orange Street, Montego Bay, St. James.
