Mrs. Donna-Marie Rowe – Chief Executive Officer
Mrs. Donna-Marie Rowe is the Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Information Service having been promoted to this position in 2009. Previously she served as Public Relations Manager for seven years at the Agency.
A Public Relations Specialist, with more than 17 years experience, she joined the Government’s premier PR entity, immediately after graduating from the University of the West Indies (Mona) with a Bachelor of Science degree in English. She went on to achieve a Masters Degree in Communication Studies and secured a diploma in Public Relations and training in Risk Communication in Washington DC, and Panama sponsored by PAHO/WHO.
Mr. Ian Boyne, CD – Deputy CEO
Mr. Ian Boyne, CD, was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) in 2010. His responsibilities include serving as Chief State Liaison to the Office of the Prime Minister, Office of the Governor-General and the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and giving oversight to the Research, Publications and Production (Editorial and Photo) Division.
Host of the Agency’s flagship interview programme, Issues and Answers, Mr. Boyne furthers the public education thrust of the JIS through his incisive range of questions which elucidate the Government’s response to the national issues of the day.
A Little History
At the time of its establishment in 1956, the Agency embraced two main functions: the production and dissemination of information; functions that remain part of the Agency’s core responsibilities to this day.
The Agency was first known as the Government Public Relations Office (GPRO), which was primarily concerned with issuing press releases and maintaining good relations between the press and the Government. The scope of the GPRO was widened in 1957 when it was integrated with the Jamaica Film Unit and the Government Broadcasting Service. Subsequently, Photography, and a Publications unit were added to the structure of the organisation.
In 1963, the GPRO was renamed the Jamaica Information Service, and a Television unit was formed. During this period, the JIS focussed primarily on writing and distributing press releases and photographs, writing publications, mounting public education campaigns, and producing stories for radio, film and television. The Agency also had a mobile service which showed films in rural communities islandwide.
In 1974, the name of the organisation was changed to the Agency for Public Information (API) and reverted to Jamaica Information Service in 1980. In 1984, the print news and photography functions were turned over to the newly formed Jamaica Press (JAMPRESS), the national press agency. The public affairs (now public relations), radio, television and printing functions remained with the JIS.
Executive Agency
As part of the Public Sector Modernisation Programme, the JIS and JAMPRESS were merged in 2001 to become an Executive Agency. Headed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the JIS is regarded as a semi-autonomous organisation, which is guided by the fundamental principles of delegated authority, accountability and transparency. In addition to providing communication services to all Ministries, Agencies, and Departments of Government, as an Executive Agency, the JIS earns revenue from services offered to Government and non-government institutions.