Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Hundreds impacted across the region as Digicel pulls plug on major digital platforms

July 14, 2025 – In a stunning move that’s sending shockwaves across the Caribbean media landscape, Digicel has announced the immediate closure of its flagship digital news platform, Loop News, and the winding down of its regional sports broadcaster, SportsMax. The telecommunications giant is shifting its focus away from media and toward enterprise services, ending over a decade of regional journalism and sports coverage.

The announcement, made this week through social media and confirmed by multiple news sources, reveals that Digicel is effectively dismantling its media division. The shutdown of Loop News is immediate, while SportsMax will cease operations by August 8, 2025. The decision affects nearly 100 jobs across the region — including journalists, editors, producers, and technical staff.

Loop News, founded in 2014, quickly became one of the Caribbean’s most trusted digital news sources, offering real-time updates, multimedia features, and regional coverage that spanned politics, crime, lifestyle, and entertainment. With editions in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, St. Lucia, and other territories, Loop grew into a digital-first newsroom serving millions of Caribbean readers at home and abroad.

SportsMax, acquired by Digicel in 2011, held exclusive broadcast rights to major sporting events and leagues, including Premier League football, international cricket, and athletics — making it the go-to cable channel for Caribbean sports fans.

In a public statement, Digicel cited a “strategic shift” toward enterprise-level services, such as cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and managed IT infrastructure, as the primary reason for exiting the media space. The company described the closures as “difficult but necessary” to streamline operations and prepare for long-term sustainability in a competitive telecommunications market.

“These are not decisions we take lightly,” Digicel said in its statement. “However, in an ever-evolving digital economy, we must focus our resources on areas where we can create the most value for our customers.”

The response from staff and the wider media community has been one of disappointment and concern. Many expressed shock at the abrupt nature of the decision, and at the loss of two platforms that helped define Caribbean digital media over the past decade.

“I still can’t believe it,” one Loop editor said anonymously. “We worked hard to build something credible, regional, and relevant. This feels like more than a corporate shift — it feels like the end of an era.”

The closure raises broader questions about the future of independent, regional news media in the Caribbean. With Loop gone, there’s now a major gap in accessible, regionally connected journalism — particularly on mobile-first platforms.

As Loop’s website now carries only a farewell message, and SportsMax counts down its final weeks, Caribbean media consumers are left wondering: what comes next?

And more urgently — who will fill the vacuum left behind?

Turks and Caicos, May 23, 2025 – In an emotionally charged close to his budget presentation in the House of Assembly, Zhavargo Jolly, Minister of Tourism announced the long-awaited return of the Turks and Caicos International Music Festival, setting the stage for a cultural revival and a strategic tourism push in the traditionally slow summer months.

“This isn’t just an event,” declared Minister Jolly. “This is Turks and Caicos. This is who we are.”

For the first time since 2008, when international icons like Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie graced the stage alongside local talent, the festival will make its comeback from July 31 to August 3, 2025. With the theme of unity, identity, and economic opportunity, this event marks a pivotal moment in the government’s vision to expand experiential tourism—a movement focused on meaningful cultural immersion for visitors while deepening national pride.

More Than a Festival – A Strategic Economic Stimulus

Positioned deliberately during a traditional lull in tourist arrivals, the festival aims to do more than entertain. It is being designed as a tool to “activate the economy,” according to Jolly. From boosting hotel occupancy to increasing demand for taxi services and supporting local vendors, the festival is expected to generate tangible economic momentum for the islands.

“We’re not promising perfection,” Jolly said candidly. “We are simply saying: this is the year we start.”

Acknowledging that the road to a globally recognized music festival is not an overnight feat, the Minister pointed to major events like Reggae Sumfest, Essence Fest, and Coachella as models that began modestly and grew into international juggernauts. The Turks and Caicos Islands, he emphasized, now has its moment to take the first step on that journey.

A Cultural Trifecta: Music, Pageantry, and Sport

The 2025 festival will also include three high-profile national collaborations, each bringing its own brand of energy, prestige, and community spirit:

• Friday: Miss Turks and Caicos Universe Competition
  Elevating the country’s young women and reaffirming TCI’s presence on the global stage of beauty, leadership, and empowerment.
• Saturday: TCI Poker Run
  A beloved tradition that blends boating adventure, camaraderie, and charity in the nation’s pristine waters.
• Sunday: Trevor Ariza Celebrity Golf Tournament
  Hosted by the Turks and Caicos-born NBA Champion, this event adds class and star power to cap off the weekend with international appeal.

“That’s not just a weekend,” said Jolly. “That’s a movement. Music. Pageantry. Sport. Culture. Charity. One country. One cause. One moment in history.”

Cultural Identity Meets Global Visibility

The return of the festival also supports the government’s broader tourism strategy, which aims to move beyond sun and sand toward authentic, immersive experiences. The focus on experiential tourism speaks to a deeper engagement with TCI’s cultural heartbeat—from music and storytelling to hospitality and heritage.

“This is not just about music,” Jolly emphasized. “It is about national identity, economic opportunity, and cultural pride.”

With eyes on future growth, the Ministry plans to attract private partners, expand the festival’s footprint, and position it as a staple on the international events calendar. The vision is for tourists to one day plan their travel around this annual celebration of Turks and Caicos life and culture.

A Minister’s Personal Commitment

Minister Jolly ended his presentation with a personal pledge to serve the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands with honor and humility as both an All-Island Elected Member and the steward of the tourism portfolio.

“As I travel the globe to promote this country… I will do so with an unshakable determination to make the people of these islands proud,” he vowed.

With the return of the Turks and Caicos International Music Festival now official, the country potentially stands on the cusp of reclaiming a signature cultural platform—one that not only brings back a globally renowned music scene but an event which has previously sparked controversy due to its cost both fiscally and socially.

PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

SPORTS COMMISSION

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: Ripple Effect, a short film produced by the Project I.D.E.A. Media Club, has been officially selected for the Caribbean Film Festival. This marks a historic milestone as it is the first film shot and directed in the Turks and Caicos Islands by local filmmakers to be selected for a regional film festival. Commissioned by the Turks and Caicos Islands Sports Commission, the project was led by Project Lead Nandina Hislop and filmmaker Samuel Jules, owner of One Island Media.

The Caribbean Film Festival will take place from 11 -15 June 2025, at CinemaOne, Home of the IMAX, in Trinidad and Tobago. The festival, hosted by Africa Film TT, is an extension of a platform that has been supporting filmmakers for over a decade. According to organisers, the Caribbean Film Festival is a “world-class destination film festival” with a mission to “ignite and energise the region’s film and multimedia industry, fuelling a fresh wave of film production and creative content throughout the Caribbean.”

Ripple Effect will be screened alongside films from countries including Panama, Guyana, and Jamaica. The selection was made by a team of seasoned critics, guided by an Advisory Board that includes Scott Sardinha, Cultural Attaché for Westbrook Pictures and the Will Smith Circle. Ripple Effect was directed by film student Malachi Jarrett and Samuel Jules, with executive production by Samuel Jules and Nandina Hislop. The crew primarily consisted of youth between the ages of 14 and 21, mentored under the Project I.D.E.A. Media Club.

Project Lead Nandina Hislop shares, “We are immensely proud of this selection as this successful short film was achieved with a minute budget, powered by immense assistance from the production company One Island Media. Over 90% of actors in the film were first-time performers, which is a testament to the raw talent on our island. We hope this selection will result in a surge of public and private sector investment into the local film industry and the Project I.D.E.A. Media Club.”

Director of the film Samuel Jules, adds, “The acceptance of Ripple Effect into the Caribbean Film Festival brings me immense pride—not just because of the dynamic team, including passionate teens who contributed to its success, but because it also highlights pressing social issues in our communities. I hope this latest development in the film’s journey encourages positive change, inspires greater interest in the art of cinematography among young people, and encourages more support and resources for these creative pursuits.”

Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Social Services, the Hon. Rachel Taylor, also extended congratulations:

“This is a proud moment for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Ripple Effect’s success on the regional stage highlights the incredible potential of our youth and the power of creative expression to tell our unique stories. I commend the Project I.D.E.A. Media Club, One Island Media, and all involved in this project for demonstrating what can be achieved through talent, mentorship, and perseverance. Initiatives like these are vital not only for building skills and confidence but also for providing positive pathways that steer our young people away from juvenile delinquency. The Ministry remains committed to supporting the growth of creative industries as key drivers of national development and youth empowerment.”

Ripple Effect has also been submitted for consideration to other Caribbean film festivals, including the Trinidad+Tobago Film Festival and the Bahamas Independent Film Festival, with hopes for continued success. For more information, email nehislop@gov.tc.

The Project I.D.E.A. Media Club is currently open for summer session applications. Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/c53uYaAaDb.