All About BPC

History

Local press clubs were founded in the 1970s, and revived in 1996. The Bahamas Press Club was reestablished in 2014, and incorporated in 2019.

Since the early 1970s, Bahamian journalists made numerous attempts to establish press associations and press clubs, but sadly none survived. The need for the professional development of journalists existed, but who would be the brave "watchdog" to make another attempt to establish a press association that would have imminent chances of dying?

The next brave attempt was made in 1996, when The Bahamas Press Club was established. Veteran journalists Steve McKinney and Anthony Newbold were members of the press club during this time. Unfortunately, the same death the press associations and press clubs suffered in the 1970s, The Bahamas Press Club experienced it in 2009. McKinney said The Bahamas Press Club died in 2009 after the membership dwindled and journalists lost interest. This was the main cause of death for the press associations and press clubs in the 1970s.

With the media being the backbone of a democratic society, the need for professional journalists won't disappear and the need for a press association or press club to support and professionalize journalists won't disappear. So with this in mind, Newbold decided to revive The Bahamas Press Club with a new project called The Bahamas Press Club 2014. This "resurrection project" took off in 2014 with Newbold being elected as president. The election of officers was held August 28, 2014 with the following persons being elected to the executive leadership:

• Anthony Newbold, President
• Anthony Capron, First Vice President
• Lindsay Thompson, Secretary
• Shenique Miller, Assistant Secretary
• Vincent Vaughan, Treasurer
• Carla Palmer, Assistant Treasurer
• Kendeno Knowles, Public Relations Officer
• Julian Reid, Education Officer
• Clint Watson, Chaplain

Clint Watson was appointed as the club’s chaplain. An election was held for the position of first vice president, which was briefly held by Marguerite Guillaume.

Founding Members of The Bahamas Press Club

The executives of The Bahamas Press Club were officially installed Sunday night during a reception at Graycliff Restaurant. A first for The Bahamas, the officers were inducted into the organization by Anglican Co-adjutor Bishop Drexel Gomez, assisted by the club's legal advisor Senator Fred Mitchell. The executives pledged to promote the growth and development of the media, thus keeping the public at large informed about news events. Pictured in front, from left to right are: president Darold Miller, Love 97; assistant secretary Debbie Nash, international correspondent; secretary Lindsay Thompson, reporter, Nassau Guardian; and treasurer Anthony Newbold, broadcast journalist, Love 97. Pictured in back row from left are: first vice president Anthony Delaney, radio announcer, ZNS; second vice president Vincent Vaughn, freelance photographer; assistant treasurer Picewell Forbes, radio announcer, ZNS; and public relations officer Steve McKinney, journalist, Bahamas Information Services.

(Staff photo by Donald Knowles)

Photo & original caption published in The Nassau Guardian, 1996

We don't go into journalism to be popular. It is our job to seek the truth and put constant pressure on our leaders until we get answers. - Helen Thomas

Our Mission

Our Vision

To foster a culture of excellence and integrity, in a manner that would command the attention of all members of the profession as well as the public, so that exemplary, professional behavior becomes synonymous with THE BAHAMAS PRESS CLUB 2014.