Kiskadee Watch, an online daily Guyanese newspaper, will be launched on Sunday at www.kiskadeewatch.com, with all content freely accessible to readers.
The new digital newspaper will be led by Anand Persaud, former Editor-in-Chief of Stabroek News. Persaud will be supported by a team drawn from the former Stabroek News.
The outlet said it chose the kiskadee for its masthead because the bird is common and familiar across Guyana.
“The kiskadee is hardy and adaptable, as we Guyanese are; it survives the pesticides sprayed indiscriminately on fields and streets, the rarity of clean water in our garbage-infested trenches, the relentless replacement of fruits and flower plants with fence-to-fence concrete.
The kiskadee (zoological name Pitanga sulphuratus from its yellow feathers) has survived, and, with the support of fellow citizens and all who love Guyana, so will Kiskadee Watch,” the Steering Committee said in a release.
According to the release, the initiative follows the closure of Stabroek News and concerns over a resulting gap in independent reporting.
A group of Guyanese at home and abroad, along with others concerned about the future of journalism in Guyana, came together to establish the new outlet, the release added.
Kiskadee Watch said its vision is to re-establish a trusted, independent, fact-based news institution in Guyana that safeguards editorial freedom and strengthens democratic discourse. A weekly printed newspaper is expected to be launched before the end of the year.
The publication will adopt a hybrid financing model inspired by Britain’s Guardian newspaper and U.S. National Public Radio, combining share ownership with contributions from individuals, foundations, civil society and the business sector.
The Steering Committee said public support will help keep the platform free for readers across Guyana and in the diaspora.
The Steering Committee comprises Janette Bulkan, Rhett Gordon, Jocelyne Josiah, GHK Lall, Cheryl Springer and Alissa Trotz.
