Veteran Jamaican broadcaster Neville Bell says traditional media continues to evolve as audiences increasingly consume content through platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.
Speaking on the No NDA Podcast, Bell said he is uncertain whether people watch television as heavily as they once did, although he continues to use traditional television for sports and other programming.
Bell said changing technology and audience behaviour should be viewed as part of the natural evolution of media rather than necessarily as the disappearance of media itself.
He recalled a time when strict studio practices meant having a mobile phone on set would have been unacceptable, contrasting that environment with today’s more relaxed and digitally connected productions.
Bell compared the transformation to changes in Jamaican music, recalling the progression from ska through rocksteady, reggae and dancehall.
He said new forms often emerge from what existed previously, with each generation adapting established ideas to suit changing tastes.
Bell also argued that embracing new media does not require completely abandoning older formats or values.
For Bell, the challenge is accepting that platforms and audience habits will continue changing, even if those changes eventually affect the relevance of established media personalities.
