The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) recently held their media awards to recognise and honour media professionals in the United States and the Caribbean whose work has significantly contributed to the promotion of Caribbean people, places, culture and travel.
The prestigious awards ceremony held at the start of Caribbean week in New York is a celebration of excellence in media and communications, specifically through photography, digital content creation and journalism.
In a resounding display of excellence, Jamaica emerged as a standout at the event copping top prizes across various categories, cementing its position as leaders in broadcast journalism and digital media in the region.
Romardo Lyons – Jamaica
Among the notable victories was Romardo Lyons of Television Jamaica (TVJ), who copped the award for Best News Reporting for “Coffee Crisis.” Romardo, a rising star in the field of journalism locally, is on a winning streak after being awarded the top prize in journalism at the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards earlier this year.
Giovanni Dennis – Jamaica
Another standout was Giovanni Dennis from Radio Jamaica who’s “Period Poverty and Climate Change in Jamaica” piece was awarded best in category for Podcast/Radio. Dennis, journalist of the year in 2022 is another top Jamaican journalist who himself was a big winner at the 2023 National Journalism Awards in Jamaica copping top prizes in business journalism, news journalism, for best feature story (electronic) and the presidents award for investigative journalism.
Jamaica Tourist Board – Best Social media Campaign
The Jamaica Tourist Board won Best Social Media Campaign for the “Valentine’s Day in Jamaica: Bravo TV’s Summer House” campaign. The 2023 campaign which featured reality tv stars Lindsay Hubbard, and Carl Radke of Summer House who was treated by the JTB to an island get-away for valentines day in 2023.
Other Award Category Winners
Brent Pinheiro – Trinidad & Tobago
The Trinidad Guardian’s producer turned journalist, Brent Pinheiro, swept three major award categories at the ceremony. He won a journalism award in the category Best Feature Article or Story for “This Week in Travel: Learning the Art of Batik” and a producer award in the category Best Video Production for “This Week in Travel: Paragliding in Manzanilla,” and he was also voted Emerging Journalist of the Year.
Kaitlyn McNab – Teen Vogue
New York-based journalist and writer Kaitlyn McNab, culture editor for Teen Vogue, won in the category Best Personal Immersive Story for her 2023 Teen Vogue essay titled “Grenada’s Spicemas Carnival Revolutionised the Way I Think About My Blackness and My Body.” In the essay, Mcnab reflects on her West Indian heritage through her experience participating in Spicemas, Grenada’s annual Carnival celebrations.
Melissa Noel – Essence Magazine
Guyanese American journalist and Essence Magazine contributor Melissa Noel who’s work “highlights the impact of the African Diaspora in travel, culture and lifestyle” was voted Diaspora Journalist of the Year for Trinidad’s Carnival Finally Came Back. Here’s Everything You Missed“; “My Family’s New Holiday Tradition Is Travel. Here’s How We Did It“; and “Exploring Grenada’s Jab Jab Tradition: A Symbol of Black Expression and Liberation.”
As Jamaica continues to excel in media and broadcasting, these achievements serve as motivation for future generations of storytellers and media professionals. The island’s rich cultural heritage, combined with its vibrant and multicultural communities, provides fertile ground for creativity and innovation in media.
