Jamaica Information Service (JIS)

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Jamaica Information Service (JIS)
About The Jamaica Information Service (JIS)



Mission Statement - the voice of Jamaica

At the Jamaica Information Service, our mission is to inform and educate the public in Jamaica and overseas about the policies, programmes and institutions of the Government of Jamaica, so as to increase awareness, understanding and support for these policies, programmes and institutions; as well as to reflect the views and concerns of the people about Government policies, programmes and institutions.

Vision Statement - Truth Well Told
In carrying out this mandate, the JIS is committed to the principles of truth, honesty and clarity and seeks to embody the short statement - Truth Well Told – which acts as our guide and reflects the general rule of our behaviour and the ultimate aim of our endeavours.

History of the JIS

The Jamaica Information Service has experienced name changes and refocusing of its mandate since its origin in the Information Unit established by the old Colonial Secretariat, under the direction of the Director of Education and Chief Information Officer. In 1956, the Government Public Relations Office (GPRO) was established. By 1959, the GPRO mounted publicity campaigns using all communications media – press, radio and film.

In 1963 the GPRO was renamed the Jamaica Information Service. The name of the organisation was changed to the Agency for Public Information in the 1970s and reverted to Jamaica Information Service after October 1980.

In 1984 the print news and photography functions of the JIS were turned over to a new National Press Agency, JAMPRESS, a separate limited liability company, headed then by an Editor-in –Chief.

As part of the Public Sector Modernisation Programme JIS and JAMPRESS were merged in 2001 to become an Executive Agency of Government.

As an Executive Agency, the JIS is mandated to utilise some of its time and resources to provide core public information services across all Ministries and Agencies of Government at no charge. In addition, the Agency is required to earn from offering non-core information and communication services at a fee to Government and non-governmental institutions, to raise revenues to finance its day-to-day operations.

The Jamaica Information Service is headed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Public Service Commission.

The CEO is responsible for the Agency's overall financial and operational performance, and the recruitment and management of the Agency’s human resources.

Executive Agency

An Executive Agency is a semi-autonomous government agency. It remains a part of Government but has more responsibility for its own management and performance.

The primary aim is to reduce central control and delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in the various Government institutions. Another aim is to substantially improve the quality and quantity of services provided by Government agencies.

The establishment of Executive Agencies is based on three fundamental principles:

Delegated authority, which incorporates a certain level of autonomy;
Accountability; and
Transparency.
The Chief Executive Officer of an Executive Agency reports directly to the Portfolio Minister and is responsible for:

The agency’s performance, operations and functions

Giving advice to the Portfolio Minister on the matters referred to in bullet 1. above

The delivery of goods and services by the agency in the quantity and in accordance with the quality, costs and standards specified in any plan or document

The general conduct of the agency

The efficient and effective management of the agency, including its human resources and the prudent financial management of its financial resources

The timely reporting in the prescribed manner to the Portfolio Minister on the agency’s performance.
The Executive Agencies monitoring Unit

The Executive Agencies Monitoring Unit (EAMU) of the Ministry of Finance, is responsible for monitoring the financial performance of Executive Agencies to ensure that proper standards and procedures are being followed. This unit has the power to request an audit of an agency as it sees fit.

Key objectives of the Executive Agencies Unit

The overall purpose of the EAMU is to enable the establishment and effective financial management of the Executive Agencies and to monitor the effectiveness of the Executive Agencies in achieving greater accountability, transparency, control and improved performance.

JIS Executive Agency – Financial Arrangements

The JIS was commissioned as an Executive Agency on 1st April 2001 and categorized as a Model B type. As a Model B Agency, JIS was previously funded on a net basis and allowed to retain 50% of its earnings remitting the remainder to the Consolidated Fund. In a decision dated 26th March 2007, Cabinet approved the implementation of a revised financial regime (effective date 1st April 2007) allowing Model B Agencies to retain 100% of revenues collected from fees and remit 50% of surplus to the Consolidated Fund.

Management

The Executive Management Team of the Agency is comprised of CEO, the Director of Finance; the Director of Administration and Human Resources; and the Director/Chief State Liaison, all of whom work closely with the CEO to achieve the organisation's mandate. The work of the Executive Management Team is supported by the Agency’s Chief Internal Auditor.

Services

The JIS is a multifaceted information agency, which utilises the full range of media skills and talents - print, radio, television, graphic arts, video projection public relations and marketing etc.

The JIS provides a full range of information, communication and marketing services to government ministries, agencies, non-governmental organisations and companies.

Production Coordination

The Director/Chief State Liaison has responsibility for the Agency’s work activities involving the principal offices of the State – Office of the Prime Minister, Office of the Cabinet, Office of the Governor-General and the Parliamentary Opposition.

The Production work and creative output of the JIS is guided by a Production Consultant.

The production work of the Agency is driven and supervised by qualified and experienced managers who head the following departments:

Production Departments

Computer Services
Public Relations
Advertising and Pre-Press
Regional Services
Television
Radio
Editorial (Including Photo)
Research and Publications
Staff & Locations

The Jamaica Information Service is staffed by close to 200 employees at two locations in Kingston – Main Office at 58a Half-Way Tree Road and Television Centre at 37 Arnold Road, five regional offices throughout Jamaica (Kingston, Port Antonio, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Mandeville) and five overseas offices – Miami, New York, Washington DC, Toronto and London.

Department Functions

Computer Services (crs@jis.gov.jm)
The Computer Services Department delivers and maintains the technical framework and electronic platform for the JIS (Head Office, Television Centre, Regional Offices and Overseas Offices) to deliver information on Government's policies, programmes and institutions, through the integrated use of information technology. It provides the Agency with: a fully maintained website used for the dissemination of GOJ information; access to the Internet; email facilities; maintenance of computer hardware and software; computer training; and the maintenance of servers and other electronic equipment.

A major initiative of this department continues to be the development and maintenance of GOJ websites and the provision of webmaster services to public and private sector companies, as a non-core service.

Public Relations (pr@jis.gov.jm)
The Public Relations Department is responsible for conceptualizing and executing public education programmes aimed at promoting a better understanding of Government policies, programmes and institutions. Various audience-relevant communications strategies are employed and the skills of the other divisions within the JIS are drawn on, in support of the programmes being undertaken. These strategies include providing strategic public information advice to Government ministries and agencies, and implementing facilities for feedback from the public about Governement's policies and programmes.

Advertising and Pre-Press
The Advertising and Pre-Press Division designs and implements advertising campaigns and places print, radio and television advertisements for the GOJ, its Ministries, Departments and other Public Sector Agencies. This division is also responsible for graphic design functions to support the Agency's print advertising placements and publication activities.

Regional Services (regional@jis.gov.jm)
The Regional Information Services Division disseminates information on the GOJ's policies and programmes to areas of Jamaica where public access to communication facilities and the media may be limited. It also hosts events in these areas relating to the GOJ's policies and programmes and collects text as well as photographic, sound and video material for the Television, Radio and Editorial Divisions to use in their outputs. Regional offices are located in Kingston, Mandeville, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio.

Television (media@jis.gov.jm)
The JIS Television Division produces a full range of television programmes, many of which are broadcast by commercial television stations in time allotted for Government broadcasts. It produces public service announcements, news items, news features, documentaries, magazine programmes, commercials and dramatic presentations related to the implementation of the GOJ's policies and programmes. It provides programmes for Regional Information Services and Jamaica's Overseas Missions as well as items for the JIS's web site. It also supports other community activities involving non-governmental and private programmes which impact on national development.

Radio (radio@jis.gov.jm)
The JIS Radio Division produces a full range of radio programmes, many of which are broadcast by commercial radio stations in time allotted for Government broadcasts. It produces public service announcements, news items, news features, documentaries, magazine programmes, commercials and dramatic presentations related to the implementation of the GOJ's policies and programmes. It provides programmes for Regional Information Services, Jamaica's Overseas Missions and items for the JIS's web site. It also supports other community activities involving non-governmental and private programmes which impact on national development.

Editorial (edit@jis.gov.jm)
The Editorial Department produces daily news releases, features and articles about the GOJ's policies and programmes and provides pictures for publication in newspapers and its web site. It also edits and publishes news and feature stories received from the regional and overseas offices. The Editorial Department also provides other services such as sale of photographs and the production of official identification cards for Ministries, Departments and other Public Sector Agencies.

Research and Publications (research@jis.gov.jm) (publications@jis.gov.jm)
The Research and Publications Department comprises two (2) units:

1. The Research Services - Is the reference and resource centre for JIS staff and informs the publicity materials generated by the production departments. It also provides information as well as archival and library support to Government Ministries and Agencies and members of the public. The unit also constructs and manages the JIS's responses to information requests (Access to Information Act 2000). Additional responsibilities for the unit include researching, writing, editing and updating of various publications to support GOJ communication and public information.

2. The Print Shop - Prints the bulk of the printed materials required for the JIS's communication and information services for the GOJ (its Ministries and Departments), as well as other public and private sector entities.

Core Services

The Agency provides the following services free of charge to Ministries and Agencies as part of our “core” mandate:

Communication and public information planning and advice through Public Relations Officers, who are each assigned two Ministries and the Agencies falling within those Ministries as part of their responsibilities

Editorial, photo and video overage of events

Writing news stories, feature stories and photo captions

Disseminating news and feature stories and captioned photographs to media houses

Publishing news, feature stories and captioned photographs on JIS Bulletin Board page published weekly in the Gleaner daily newspaper

Broadcasting television news stories and features on JIS' daily Television programme – Jamaica Magazine aired on all major national TV stations and several community cable channels in Jamaica and cable channels overseas

Broadcasting radio news stories and features in JIS radio programmes daily on radio stations – Calling Farmers, Jamaica Magazine and Roundabout Ja

Worldwide publicity and exposure via the award-winning JIS website, which now receives an average 5.5 million hits per month

Worldwide publicity and exposure via the JIS E-Newsletter which is distributed weekly to some 300,000 subscribers in Jamaica and overseas

Live webcasting of major state/national events

Outside broadcasting/provision of audio-video feed to electronic media houses of major events
Non-Core Services

Non-core services offered by the JIS at a cost to Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Statutory Bodies, Nongovernmental organizations and private sector organisations include:

Communication, public information, marketing and advertising planning and management
Strategic communication advice
Media consultancy
Research services
Production and placement of print and electronic advertisements
Developing and implementing advertising campaigns
Scriptwriting for radio and television productions
Conceptualising, filming, directing, editing and producing television programmes
Production and dissemination of Video News Releases (VNRs)
Providing videography services
Providing photography services
Conceptualising, recording and producing radio programmes
Speechwriting
Arranging speaking engagements
Planning, staging and managing community and other meetings and fora through the extensive JIS network of Regional and International Offices
Planning and managing news conferences and media briefings
Establishing and managing press centres for major conferences and other events
Mounting exhibitions in Jamaica and overseas
Audiovisual equipment rental and operating services
Mobile announcing/town crier services
Public address system and background music rental
News coverage of events
Writing news stories, feature stories and photo captions
Disseminating news and feature stories and captioned photographs to media houses in Jamaica and overseas
Publishing news, features stories and captioned photographs on JIS Bulletin Board page in the Gleaner newspaper weekly
Broadcasting television news stories and features on JIS Television programmes on all major national TV stations and several community cable channels in Jamaica and cable channels overseas
Broadcasting radio news stories and features in JIS radio programmes in Jamaica
Website development and maintenance
Worldwide publicity and exposure via the award-winning JIS website, which now receives an average 5.5 million hits per month
Webcasting of events
Worldwide publicity and exposure via the JIS E-Newsletter which is distributed weekly to some 300,000 subscribers in Jamaica and overseas
Researching, writing, designing and printing publications including:
Books, reports, magazines, calendars, brochures, flyers, posters, business cards
Sale of publications and Jamaican flags
The JIS is able to offer its clients:

A unique, one-stop communication and public information service which has access to all media--television, radio, press, publications, Internet, regional services and overseas contacts
Access to Government of Jamaica officials
A single point of contact for all communication and public information needs
A full range of professional advice and technical expertise on all communications and marketing matters
A unique distribution network for communicating policies and programmes to target audiences throughout Jamaica and overseas
One of the largest archived audio, video and photo collections in Jamaica
The capacity to produce quality video and radio documentaries
A highly competent team of professional writers, editors, photographers, graphic artists, printers, videographers and post production technicians
Strong regional and overseas networks, which place the Agency in a unique position to develop and carry out publicity campaigns in an efficient and concerted manner