Sugar Ray Thomas
A new era in the media landscape in Jamaica has emerged with the launch of the North Coast Times Television (NCT-TV).
NCT-TV will seek to provide coverage of events and showcase programmes from across Jamaica’s north coast.
NCT-TV was launched on Monday, April 3 at the Double V Plaza in Ocho Rios, St Ann, with several guests in attendance.
Among those in attendance were: custos Norma Walters, custos emeritus Radcliffe Walters, mayor Michael Belnavis, Eva Myers, public relations manager at Sandals Ochi, Ian Spencer, Vana Taylor, chairman of the JHTA Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay region, NCT-TV board member, Jennifer Hector and consultant Debbie Leung.
According to managing director of NCT-TV and its sister company, North Coast Times newspaper, Franklin McKnight in his address, “ the project means we are going to be outputting content on cable stations or channels between Portland and St James and all those north coast parishes in between, meaning here in St Ann, St Mary and Trelawny.”
Mr McKnight explained that when the television begins its broadcast, it will be transmitted on cable channels including: Gemini, which provides coverage for sections of Portland and St Mary; Stars which provides coverage for sections of St Ann, St Mary and St Catherine; Santastic, which provides coverage for the areas of Brown’s Town, and southern communities like Alexandria and Cave Valley, and sections of Discovery Bay and Cornwall Communications, which provides coverage for St James and Trelawny.
Mr McKnight said the launch did not mean the start of broadcast but the beginning of the process of informing people and reaching out to communities while testing and developing programmes.
“The systems on which we will be carried and the individual station numbers on all those platforms will be detailed later when our marketing really begins. They will be no secret. We crave your support and we want you to approach us and give your advice and tips,” Mr McKnight said.
He further mentioned that NCT-TV will offer a variety of programmes that transcends several areas including health, business and food.
“So today’s launch is our first step of a phased process that will next see limited number of programmes coming out of Ocho Rios. And yes ours will be a 24-hour channel with other programmes, films and documentaries from overseas. But our main aim is to show the people of the coast, their challenges, their triumphs, their institutions, the beauty that millions come to see every year,” Mr McKnight stressed.
The chairman for the launch was Irie FM journalist, Halshane Burke, who lauded the entrepreneurial spirit of Mr McKnight’s vision of having a television station for the north coast.
The welcome was done by Talmadge Kearns, the project coordinator of NCT-TV.
Prayer was done by the Very Rev. Richard Tucker, followed by the song Lead Us, Heavenly Father Lead Us, while scripture reading was done by a member of NCT-TV staff, Shauna Kay Martin.
In his brief meditation, the Very Rev. Richard Tucker encouraged the new station to be different and offer something new and wonderful to the north coast.
Mayor of St Ann’s Bay, Micheal Belnavis commended managing director Franklin McKnight for coming with “something even more revolutionary” at a time when the north coast would be experiencing new development in the tourism sector.
Mayor Belnavis gave his blessings for the television station.
Also giving commendations for the idea of the NCT-TV was Custos Norma Walters who also commended Mr McKnight for “leading the change.”
The guest speaker at the function was principal of the York Castle High School, Raymon Treasure who hailed the creation of this new venture.
“It is going to be a local media entity to highlight the projects here,” Mr Treasure explained.
He lauded Mr McKnight for giving a voice to those persons in the communities across the north coast where the national media entities would not provide such coverage.
“We need a voice to tell people what is happening in this region and Mr McKnight is that voice,” he pointed out.
Mr Treasure also commended Mr McKnight’s efforts at employing a number of young people to be a part of the new NCT-TV project.
“I am very happy to see a number of our young people being a part of this initiative as well. What it says is that we are not just about to show the experience of the North Coast, but we are going to bring out the best in our youth talent,” Mr Treasure said.
The NCT-TV launch also saw a number of presentations from the Ocho Rios High School band and a dance item for the Marjam Preparatory School.
The vote of thanks was given by Rhonda Gordon, sales manager of NCT-TV.
