Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

Premier Wheatley accuses local media of 'clickbait journalism'

Premier Wheatley accuses local media of 'clickbait journalism'

Known to be vocal about his opinion of the local media, Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has said while he favours a strong media core in the VI he remains concerned about clickbait type articles.

The Premier’s response came during an October 28, 2022, press conference when he was asked whether there are efforts by his government to strengthen and have dialogue with the press in the VI.

“I think this press conference is an example of ensuring that the media have access to their elected representatives and their elected leaders. Certainly, of course, we favour a very strong media core and the media has a role in keeping the public informed.

The Premier, however, said that he is concerned about having more in-depth investigative stories that seek to illuminate the public on issues.

“I think we have to reflect as a society as to this brand of journalism, which is almost like clickbait journalism where persons are seeking just to get hits on stories as opposed to keeping the public properly informed on matters.”

Several media houses have reportedly expressed to the Chief Information Officer in the Department of Information and Public Relations, Desiree Smith, they will not be complying with the request to submit their questions ahead of the Premier’s press update on Friday, October 28, 2022.


Good brand of Journalism in VI - Premier Wheatley


While the Premier did not give examples of what he believed to be clickbait, he appeared to contradict his own statements when he commended the media core for having a good brand of journalism, “But certainly, I say in the Virgin Islands we have a very good brand of journalism, of course. I think it's always in every area we always have to push for excellence.”

He added that while the VI has different types of media outlets and stories, the public also has a responsibility to ensure that they do their research and seek out as much information as possible.

“But having more information to the public is something that can only strengthen the society, in my view, and I’m a very strong component of media freedom and media having access to information,” he added.

The Unity Government recently came under fire for asking reporters to submit questions in advance ahead of a press conference.

The Premier said while the policy will not be strictly adhered to, he would still prefer questions ahead of the press conference so he could have accurate information available for reporters.

What is clickbait journalism?


Headline writing has long been considered a skill but, in the digital age, a new word has become synonymous with online journalism- clickbait.

According to the BBC, put simply, it is a headline that tempts the reader to click on the link to the story. But the name is also used in a disparaging way to describe headlines that are sensationalised, turn out to be adverts or are simply misleading.

"Publishers increasingly use it for simple economics; the more clicks you get, the more people on your site, the more you can charge for advertising," the BBC stated in a September 2015 article on the subject.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×