A Growing Crisis in Caribbean Media

Another Caribbean newspaper is putting down its pen. Is it a warning sign for democracy itself? Media leaders say yes.

The Media Institute of the Caribbean (MIC) has described the impending closure of Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday as a “sobering moment for Caribbean media”. It said the decision reflects a deeper regional crisis threatening journalism and democracy.

The move to wind up Newsday after 32 years goes beyond the collapse of a single company and points to “the deep structural crisis facing traditional media across the Caribbean,” MIC stated.

Shrinking advertising markets, rising operating costs and changing audience behaviour are leaving many newsrooms financially fragile.

“Newsday’s closure underscores a regional trend in which once-vibrant print news outlets struggle to remain viable amid profound shifts in technology, audience behaviour and advertising markets,” MIC stated.

The impact extends beyond newsroom job losses. MIC warned that it affects media pluralism and the public’s access to independent, verified information. It cited UNESCO-backed research which has repeatedly highlighted weak media viability across the region.

The organisation also raised concerns about the dominance of global technology platforms and the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence, which it said often uses local news content without compensation.

MIC president Kiran Maharaj said survival now depends on “difficult decisions” by newsrooms, owners and policymakers as the Caribbean media industry continues to shift.