Above: Clayton Clarke.

The recent elections of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago on October 2 saw the changing of the guard without a word being uttered, a manifesto launched or a ballot cast.

Some may question the democracy in the process as the incoming executive led by Ira Mathur was more or less handed the reins to run MATT after the incumbent, with Dr. Sheila Rampersad as head, and others before her, continued in the journey of shaping the local media landscape.

For quite some time now MATT struggled with governance issues, attracting and maintaining membership and some journalists were beginning to ponder on the merits of joining the august body.

In recent reincarnations of MATT, executive members resigned leading to a lack of quorum on numerous occasions. Some were elevated into the positions without ample example, practice and evidence of how to lead.

The executive body seemed to be a recycling of familiar faces and points of views. However, 2021 brought a change, the colloquial breath of fresh air.

Journalism and journalists are much a part of our society and are influenced by it as much as are expected to enact change.

The importance of a vibrant and democratic press needs no restating. However, in Trinidad and Tobago, how have the stormy winds of the coronavirus pandemic been weathering the silos of our media houses and practitioners?

Reporters, anchors, photographers, editors, videographers, bloggers, freelancers and the background crew have all been hit hard as the rest of the society. However, to see MATT stutter to life on October 02, 2021 was a sign of hope for journalists and for our country.

The vision of Ira Mathur seems to be bearing fruit already. Ira went about engaging those already in MATT, those on the fringe, those far off and those who never even heard about the body.

She wants to try something different. She was ready to cast her net on the other side of the boat. Ira has been able to muster a team to take on the next leg of this arduous trip.

However, there are Goliath-like challenges to be faced are within and without. The setting and maintaining standards, with discipline, no doubt will be among the first.

The modern day journalist is like nothing ever seen. Once you have a cell phone or you comment on social media; you are a de facto journalist. Easy as that.

You don’t have to be a part of an organisation with rules, philosophies and a track record. You can be your own boss, company and reporter. Standardizing the profession has just been taken to a new level, maybe an infinite one.

The task of harnessing communication professionals who work with several media outlets is more burdensome when their bosses operate more as rivals than colleagues.

How is MATT to foster a spirit of “we are all in the same battle” in an atmosphere of the free market economy of the media rat race?

On the outside, MATT will not be forgiven if it does not defend the rights of journalists to express their thoughts and to shield against the attacks of politicians.

Mind you, the assaults may not always be adversarial but can also take the form of wooing and gifting. As our young independent twin-island republic continues to evolve, so must our media industry.

Let me express my hope, one of the few virtues we have in life, to MATT. As a child is brought into this world a parent can only desire health, strength and a bright future ahead.

So must we all in the field and impacted by the field, send vibrations of positivity to the new executive and all in the profession. Whatever negative energies and misgivings we felt before we must lay those aside, at the foot of the cross.

If we reclothe our minds and our spirits with the new raiment required for the journey of press advancement and growth, we would well be on our way of prevailing as journalists wherever we are called and in whatever circumstances we find our selves.

MATT encourages opinions and commentary from the local journalism fraternity that consider and address issues relevant to the community and the practice in this country and the wider Caribbean.

About the author.

Clayton began his journalism career in 2005 covering the Tobago House of Assembly Elections for i95.5 FM and later that year the Carifta Games in his native Tobago. He credits Dale Enoch and the i95 team for providing the foundation for his interest and growth in media.
He began writing with Trinidad Guardian in 2010. In 2012, he returned to Tobago to work with Radio Tambrin for one year. He had stints in the Communications Department of Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports from 2013 to 2016.
He rejoined i95.5 from 2018 and Radio Tambrin from 2019 to present.
He has also worked with Newsday, Tobago Channel Five, KLAS Sports Radio and Track Alerts (Jamaica), Nevis and Bahamas Athletics websites.
He has covered assignments in the Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos, El Salvador, Venezuela, India and South Korea.

Follow him on Facebook at Kairibellesports, Instagram (clay_clar1240) and Twitter (Repototrack).