Did they write an article when Jesus came?

Newspapers are not anything new. The first set of recorded news dates back to ancient civilisation before Christ, making us question if Jesus made headlines. Newspapers in Barbados have come a long way, from simple notices and the spread of news throughout the plantations to Barbados' first newspaper, "The Barbados Gazette", published in 1731. "The Barbados Gazette" publication was government-made and merely used to spread official notices and trade information.

Today's newspapers spread information on criminal matters, sports reports, fitness, finance, health, and celebrity gossip. The media aims to provide the public with trustworthy and reliable information.

Disseminating information has become challenging as it is hard to determine what is true when reading articles. There are several stages in collecting news, from gathering information, fact-checking, writing stories, editing and reviewing, and the final step is publishing. When reading news, citizens should be cautious of the journalist or writer's primary purpose or personal bias, as that plays a role in how they present their stories. Some journalists set agendas when writing stories by providing the public with what they believe to be relevant information.

To ensure a smooth process of spreading information, newspaper outlets must have these professionals on deck: journalist/reporter, photographer, editor, producer, columnist, graphic designer, and social media expert. Some well-known news personnel in Barbados are Sanka Price, Roy Morris, David Ellis and Carol Martindale. They have all played significant roles in shaping the news industry in Barbados.

Roy Morris

Despite Barbados' success in the news industry, they have also faced challenges. A lack of infrastructure and finance in Barbados has led to low viewership, and younger generations prefer to watch news that is digitalised and more accessible. Most news outlets still need to prioritise transitioning to digital platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, which studies have proven more influential.

As the media constantly changes around us, the trends and current 'fabs' also change in the blink of an eye. Recently, trends in the media have been the transition from paper to pixels. Globally, many media outlets have turned to online websites to publish their articles to make them more accessible to a larger demographic. Some outlets in Barbados have also made the switch to digital media.

Although newspaper outlets In Barbados are attempting to adjust to the current trends and digitalisation, more significant efforts are needed to update their technology, provide the public with faster news, and ensure they remain relevant.

Do you believe they wrote an article when Jesus came?

• Yes of course!!
• Uhh I'm not sure