Clint Watson Appointed as New General Manager of ZNS, Burrows on Administrative Leave

It’s official. After days of speculation, Clint Watson has been officially appointed as the New General Manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, ZNS. Andrew Burrows, the former General Manager, has been sent on administrative leave, according to sources close to the corporation.

Watson, a Bahamian broadcast journalist of great repute, initially joined ZNS in January 2005 as a reporter, after spending the earlier part of his career at Island FM. Watson was personally mentored by industry veterans Charles Carter and Carl Bethel, the brother of Ed Bethel. His association with ZNS grew stronger over time, serving under then Minister of ZNS, Obie Whilcombe.

In 2017, Sebas Bastian, the prominent Bahamian businessman, headhunted Watson to spearhead his new news operation, Eyewitness News. Watson was tasked with creating a new news product from the ground up, including defining every job title associated with it.

Under Watson’s leadership, Eyewitness News attracted some of the best journalists in the industry, including Royston Jones, Genea Noel, Theo Sealy, Sancheska Brown, Kendeno Knowles, and April Sands. The news station soon made waves and quickly became a favorite with its live nightly news analysis show, “Beyond The Headlines” – the first of its kind in the country.

Eyewitness News quickly evolved into the leading news station in the country during its first year of operation, a product which won numerous awards from the Press Club of The Bahamas.

In 2021, Watson was appointed as the press secretary, where he created the first press office in the Office of the Prime Minister.

However, ZNS has struggled in recent years to establish a significant presence in the digital sphere through social media and maintain its ratings with its news product. This has further been compounded by the loss of key contracts that defined its national presence, including Junkanoo and Carifta.

Now, the task for Watson is monumental – to revamp ZNS News, Radio, and Programming, and establish a leading social media presence for the corporation. Those familiar with Watson’s work know he is more than capable of this task. His track record and experience make him an ideal candidate to transform the corporation, improve its revenue, and understand the system, issues, and human resource needs.

Watson’s experience in management at a leading bank prior to broadcasting provides him with the administrative expertise required to restructure the corporation.

While there has been no official announcement by the Office of the Prime Minister on the selection of the next press secretary, sources close to the office say they are sad to see Watson go, but understand his passion for news and journalism.

The corporation and the entire Bahamas look forward to the transformation Watson will bring to ZNS. His leadership and experience promise a new chapter for ZNS and broadcast journalism in The Bahamas.