CNMG to close, TTT is back

State owned Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG) is to be wound up. Public Administration and Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie said Cabinet took this decision at its weekly meeting at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's yesterday. Cuffie said this will pave the way for the return of Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT). The minister said the new TTT will focus on local programming and government information.

Recalling that consultations were held about the future of CNMG in December 2015, Cuffie said stakeholders at those consultations felt CNMG had lost its mandate. He said CNMG currently has 112 employees and 37 freelancers. Cuffie said all of these people will be free to apply for jobs at the new TTT. The new company will be formed from the assets of CNMG and Government Information Services Limited (GISL), which was wound up this year.

The winding up of CNMG is expected to see 99.1 Next FM and 91.1 Talk City being closed. However Sweet 100FM will be retained. In another interview, Cuffie said CNMG is currently doing a manpower audit exercise. "“The only change is that the audit will look at what we will need for CNMG's operations," he stated.

Cuffie also said TTT still has a brand recognition and an affinity which CNMG never attained. The minister will hold a news conference today at the NALIS Building in Port-of-Spain to provide further details on yesterday's Cabinet decision. TTT commenced operations on August 24, 1962. The station was closed on January 4, 2005 due to financial difficulties. CNMG started operations in 2005.