The Caribbean Broadcasting Union is a grouping of public and independent media houses – radio, television, print and digital – as well as regulators, media education institutions and independent producers in countries and territories in the Dutch, English, French & Spanish Caribbean.

Established in 1970, the CBU’s mandate includes capacity-building and training, media sector policy advocacy, support for freedom of expression and journalists’ safety, negotiation of rights, content sharing as well as promotion of communication and information rights.

In the early decades the CBU established itself as a major actor in regional integration and development through the creation of signature programmes which told the stories of the Caribbean people to audiences at home and abroad. From the “Programme One” radio series supported by UNESCO in the 1970s to the news and current affairs flagships of CaribScope, and Caribbean Newsline, the CBU acted as the hub of indigenous content. This was paralleled by the Caribbean Song Festival which brought to the fore musical talent from around the English, Dutch, French and Spanish Caribbean. CBU also led the way in bringing regional coverage of international events, especially in the sporting sphere, including the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.

In the year 2000, the CBU partnered with the Caribbean News Agency to create the affiliate Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) which became the production arm of the organisation. The CMC currently operates the subscription news service CANA news as well as the pan-regional television channel CaribVision which serves audiences in the region as well as diaspora centres in North America and Europe.

The CBU is headquartered in Barbados, with a small Secretariat headed by a Secretary General. The organisation’s highest governance body is the Board of Directors, currently chaired by Anthony Greene, General Manager of Starcom Network, based in Barbados. With a current active membership of nearly three dozen organisations, the CBU continues to grow its membership and partnerships.

In October 2025, the CBU achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first NGO from the English-speaking Caribbean to gain official partnership status with UNESCO, with consultative status. This landmark recognition strengthens the Union’s role in advancing global dialogue on media, culture, and communication — and reinforces its founding relationship with UNESCO. Through this partnership, the CBU will contribute to UNESCO’s programmes in areas such as education, science, culture, and communication, including initiatives like World Radio Day and Global Media and Information Literacy Week.

The CBU is a member of the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) and holds associate membership or has developed MOUs with sector bodies, such as the Public Media Alliance (PMA) the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) and Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM).  In 2025, CBU joined the Global South Media Alliance.

CBU also works closely with regional entities such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The Union holds membership in international development agency groupings such as UNESCO’s World Radio Day Committee and the Media and Information Literacy Alliance. The CBU is a long-standing associate member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)-D Group. CBU has also maintained long-standing and productive relationships with private sector bodies including Eutelsat since 2016 and the Network of Caribbean Chambers of Commerce (CARICHAM) since 2024.

The CBU has successfully implemented several regional projects for the ITU, UNICEF, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, PAHO and UNESCO.

Over the years, CBU has collaborated with international development partners, regional agencies, and commercial entities to promote better quality and greater quantity of targeted types of content.  This innovative approach has been welcomed by private sector and development partners for the way in which it fosters media attention to, and production of content centred on social, economic and environmental matters affecting Caribbean society.  Recent partners have included the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago, Sagicor Financial, UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNESCO, UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Area Office, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, the Caribbean Culture Fund, the UN Country Team for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, SAEDI Consulting, the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management, the Caribbean Development Bank Basic Needs Trust Fund and The Nature Conservancy: Caribbean Division.

Among the Union’s signature activities are the CBU Media Awards, the Annual General Assembly, and the Caribbean Media Hall of Fame — all of which celebrate and strengthen excellence in Caribbean media.