News Station in Jamaica Shot Up, C.B.U. Condemns Attack

There is widespread condemnation by the Caribbean media fraternity over the shooting up of a media house in Jamaica. On Monday afternoon, a gunman on a bicycle rode up and opened fire at Nationwide News Network in Jamaica just before the five o’clock evening news. While there was damage to property, fortunately, no one was injured during the gun violence. The staff at the news station has been left traumatized by the incident. The Caribbean Broadcasting Union has issued a release saying that the ride-by shooting is an unprecedented event for media in the region. The release goes on to say that “The C.B.U. has stepped up its advocacy for journalists’ safety in the Caribbean, recognizing the deterioration of the region’s rating in recent press freedom reports related to the situations in Haiti, Guyana, as well as Jamaica.” According to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, Caribbean countries, like Jamaica, dropped significantly in rankings, including in security indicator. Last year, Jamaica was eighth overall; now it is ranked thirty-ninth.