“A free press is vital to pursuing truth and learning, and standing up to the oppressor class. I believe that world press freedom day is essential because it highlights what is possible when the media is open, transparent and fearless and what happens when it is not. In this age of misinformation, disinformation and deep fakes, World Press Freedom Day allows us to reflect on those journalists who braved death threats and digital surveillance just to be able to do their jobs of speaking truth to power. My slave ancestors were brutally denied their freedoms. It is another chance to honour them by a recommitment to celebrate all freedoms.” – Sharon Pitt

Sharon Pitt is a well-known presenter and master of ceremonies for many major social and cultural events, most notably the annual National Panorama Steelband Festival.

She has an award-winning career that spans over 30 years.

She began her career at the National Broadcasting Service Radio 610 as a news reporter and worked her way up to producer and then programme administrator at Radio 100fm. From 2008 to early 2015, Pitt served as programme manager predominantly talk station Power 102FM.

Sharon Pitt in a normally unseen role. Photographs of Ms Pitt are courtesy of the Trinidad Express photographic archive.

Her top-rated Saturday Special music show, which ran for five years in the mid-nineties, featured local and Caribbean music exclusively. Sharon is particularly proud of the role her programming played in mainstreaming French Caribbean Zouk music on local radio.

She has also worked in television, hosting Women Today on TTT in the late eighties and moderating various panel discussions and providing commentary for media events, including Carnival.

Pitt is the recipient of media excellence awards for news reading and educational radio programmes. She has also received awards from several social and cultural organisations, including Pan Trinbago, the world governing body for steelpan, the Kaiso Workshop, the Fyzabad Improvement Committee and the Girl Guides Association.