Telecoms make 3.3% of GDP says TATT

The broadcasting and telecommunication sectors represent 3.3 per cent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of T&T says Cris Seecheran, Executive Director, Telecommunication Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT). “At  the end of last year 2011, both sectors realised a total revenue of TT $ 4.7 billion which represent 3.3 per cent of national GDP. The broadcasting sector is very dynamic and as you are aware, significant strides have been made over the last few years in the local and television industry in new technologies and services,” he said.

Seecharan was speaking yesterday at TATT’s 12th ICT Forum on the topic, Should Media Ownership be Regulated?, at TATT’s head office, Barataria. He said TATT has been guided by government’s policy on broadcast and the broadcasting industry established in 2003 and amended in 2004.

“TATT over the last several months has been involved in various activities aimed at possible amendments to this national broadcast policy. Work has been done in the area of local content and the issue of establishment of a public broadcasting service as many citizens and broadcasters have raised these issues,” he said. He said one of the key issues for amendment of the national broadcast policy is media ownership.

“TATT commenced a consultation process on the issue of media ownership earlier this year and to date has met with representatives of the media and the T&T Broadcasting and Publishers Association on the matter,” he said. Seecheran added: “There must be a broadcasting environment that is truly free, independent and pluralistic, offering products and services in the public interest. It has been shown that the creation of such an environment can have a profound and positive influence on the development of a nation. Access to information is essential to a democracy.”