Barbados Today

It’s true! Goodbyes are never easy. That’s why we here at Barbados TODAY always prefer to be on the right side of history in ushering in new and exciting changes with you our valued readers and viewers in mind.

The company that brought this island its first, and still most credible and appealing digital newspaper, is pleased today to introduce you to its new Chief Executive Officer and Editor-in-Chief Kaymar Jordan whose arrival and warm reception is captured in story and photo on page 3.

Jordan is by no means a stranger to the domestic and regional landscape having served for over 20 years in a journalistic capacity in all forms of media, namely radio, television, print and online.

Added to her well-known editorial competence, is her strong managerial capability, which she has developed while leading two of the largest and most influential newsrooms in the region.

Her arrival therefore could not have come at a better time for Barbados TODAY as it prepares to move to the next level.

Later this week, we will also be rolling out some equally salient changes to the structure of our board of directors in a renewed signal of our confidence and commitment to strengthening our product offerings and keeping you informed.

Without a doubt, the online business is growing. Long gone are the days of the electronic typewriter, the reel to reel machine and the printing press for that matter.

In an era in which leisure and commercial travellers can now send and receive WiFi messages while cruising at a long haul altitude of between 30,000 to 40,000 feet, the need to turnaround information quickly and seamlessly is building.

We too have changed. From a baby bird publication, our operation has evolved into a most credible staple that is now as synonymous to the Barbadian diet as maybe macaroni pie on a Sunday (apologies to the more health conscious).

We have moved from 105,000 unique views per month during the first quarter of 2013 to 126,000 for August (this means that 126,000 individuals came to the site last month compared to 260,000 visitors overall for the month).

We are also pleased with the growth of our social media channels, in particular our Facebook traffic which as at 3pm today stood at 17, 830.

The future of physical newspapers and other printed materials is therefore tenuous at best, with many experts already sounding the death knell.

Even those who remain stubbornly dependent on printed newspapers and are reluctant to embrace change are forcibly coming to grips with the fact that their days are numbered.

Therefore, there cannot be any turning back now. Those who dream a romantic dream of such an era long past will be left behind.

Just as the technology has evolved with the emergence of iPad tablets and other multi purpose information sharing devices, the media world has undergone more than its fair dose of personnel and other changes.

Today, as new leadership settles in, we the members of the Barbados TODAY team recommit ourselves to credible and professional journalism even as we roll out a special welcome mat to all advertisers to get on board.