Simon Crosskill Leaves Television Jamaica (TVJ)

Broadcaster and television host Simon Crosskill dropped yet another media bombshell on TVJ's Smile Jamaica, It's Morning Time show when he disclosed that, Wednesday, May 23, would be his last appearance on the show.

Few people would dispute that his departure marks the end of an era in television broadcasting in Jamaica. This may not be an exaggeration if you check the research data, and one wonders if TVJ can ever be the same again.

Those of us who have been around long enough will recall the doldrums into which television had fallen in an earlier period when satellite television was the vastly preferred entertainment option and everybody with the means had a dish.

With the acquisition of JBC by the RJR Group, things began to change substantially, albeit for different reasons. In my view, the real development truly came when the station, eventually re-christened TVJ, could eventually boast that it offered a menu predominantly comprising locally produced high-quality productions.

The oft-repeated evidence of its success has been pointed to in annual media studies up to 2011. The data therein confirmed that the station at peak commanded more than 75 per cent audience share with local cable channels accounting for a mere six or seven per cent. Amazingly, Smile Jamaica, at last check, was the station's premier production, representing about 80 per cent of morning viewers, even more than the major morning newscast.

Given all of that, so far 2012 certainly has not been the best of years for the RJR Group in general, and TVJ in particular. First there was the resignation of its resourceful General Manager Kay Osborne and now Crosskill's exit.

While the station continues to enjoy the lion's share of the media market, surely some of the reasons for their enormous success are programming and management expertise such as was provided by the Smile Jamaica Simon Crosskill/Neville 'Burtis' Bell duo and by Kay Osborne. Of course, given its track record in recent years, TVJ can be expected to bounce back from these 'setbacks' and most well-thinking Jamaicans may still hope that the station's resourcefulness will again be in evidence when Smile Jamaica broadcasts 'to the world' from London during the period of the Olympic Games.

Early in June he is to commence co-hosting, with Lance Whittaker, a sports magazine show called Sports Zone on SportsMax cable television.