Virgin Islands News Online, the number one online news site in the Virgin Islands, is now 4 years old. The company owned by Advance Marketing and Professional Services has cemented itself for fair, professional, objective and balanced reporting. It is also the place for accurate news and always first to break real news! Photo: VINO

The esteemed Julian Willock is one of the founders of Virgin Islands News Online. However, he has no editorial control over the day-to-day operations of the news site. That is controlled by an Editor-in-Chief. Mr. Willock, a former senior government official and entrepreneur, works with the manager on revenue and is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Photo: VINO

The online news site, which prides itself on being innovative, fair, accurate, balanced and always first with real news, was founded by the esteemed Julian Willock, a former senior government official and entrepreneur, and Angela Burns, a veteran media practitioner who has worked for several local, regional and international news agencies.

Ms. Burns has since given up her role as a Director and is no longer associated with the company or the news site; however, the other founder, Mr. Willock, fills the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors, but maintains no editorial control of the day-to-day operations.

The day-to-day-operations are run by an Editor in Chief, who is responsible for all editorial and story content and a Manager who is delegated with revenue and advertising.

Virgin Islands News Online has distinguished itself both locally and regionally, covering a variety of local, regional and international news. It has gained popularity for most often being first and accurate with breaking news, and with providing frequent and daily updates, seven days a week, with factual details.

The news site remains one of the few online news with a dedicated sports reporter, covering a variety of local sports, from horse racing to cricket, basketball to sailing, track and field to football and even the progress being made by our local college student athletes at American and European Colleges and Universities.

The readership and advertisers have certainly increased some 60% from 2010, since residents are always eager to see what Virgin Islands News Online is reporting.

Virgin Islands News Online is also the only online news site and media house trusted by government and private sector whistleblowers, politicians, clergy, captains of industry and ordinary citizens to bring information or to get their message out.

The VINO Bill to censor Online News

Despite Virgin Islands News Online cementing its popularity, creditability, stellar reputation for top-rated reporting, value to the society and the place where companies get value for money in advertising there have been failed attempts by a few, including other media houses and a Government Minister of the National Democratic Party (NDP), to shamefully attack the online news site.

While the childish and baseless attacks have reduced within the last four months, the NDP Government tried a new strategy by bringing and passing a Bill in the House of Assembly called the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2013.

The only objective of this bill is to hide corruption and abuse of power by silencing the media from reporting on these activities. It targets the online news sites with intimidation of huge fines and jail time for reporting facts about government corruption, while claiming with a straight face that the new media censor bill is to protect the Offshore Financial Sector.

Nevertheless, it will not interrupt VINO’s coverage of inside scoops, breaking news and information provided by the many whistleblowers both inside and out of government regardless of who is in power.

While Virgin Islands News Online is very proud of our four-year record of high ethical, professional and objective reporting we are also aware of allegations made against other media houses of unethical behavior, and yellow journalism, including claims that a journalist of another media house has been accused of taking money to cover persons and others being partisan in their reporting. 

We trust that these reports are mere false allegations for we remain at the forefront of advocating for high ethics and objective reporting by the local media fraternity. Notwithstanding, a free press must be jealously guarded especially in our young democracy.

A free and open press ensures that the government represents its people, and can be held accountable by its citizens. It prevents actions of government propaganda and evil to mankind like the NAZIs of WW2, or current day North Korea. A free but responsibility press puts the government and the private sector in the eye of the normal man and woman reminding them that they are not an untouchable entity that we have no control over.

Virgin Islands News Online has had four years filled with highs and lows, but has certainly inspired its many readers, advertisers and fans that our online news site is here to stay and will continue to take on the big issues, while maintaining high journalistic standards in a fair, balanced and objective way.

We end by saying a big thank you to our staff, management, Board of Directors and our loyal readers and advertisers who have made this all possible.

We are pleased that we have honoured our commitment over the last four years that this online news site will not be used by anyone, including Founders, staff, commentators, bloggers or others to advance any personal goals, attack or agenda, or to settle any scores with anyone.

We pledge to report the news objectively and free of partisan politics, something our record over the past four years has already attested to.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE FIRST FOUR YEARS OF MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.