(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Bahamas Press Club released the following statement on the death of veteran broadcaster Calsey Johnson.)
NASSAU, Bahamas, October 24, 2019 — The Bahamas Press Club is saddened by the passing Thursday of veteran broadcaster and diplomat Calsey Johnson.
Mr. Johnson, 83, rose through the ranks at the Bahamas Broadcasting Corporation, starting as a reporter in 1959, and with hard work and determination, to eventually occupy the general manager’s chair.
Mr. Johnson was the consummate broadcaster and was awarded the Etienne Dupuch Lifetime Achievement Award, during The Press Club Media Awards in 2016.
Mr. Johnson got his start in July 1959 when the late Eric Wilmott resigned from ZNS, the national station, creating a vacancy in the newsroom. He transferred from the Public Treasury’s Audit Department and became a news reporter.
To add to his on the job training, young Calsey Johnson enrolled in a British Broadcasting Corporation correspondence course, which he successfully completed, broadening his knowledge of News Writing, Feature Writing and Broadcasting.
Mr. Johnson was appointed Acting News Editor in 1966 and after completion of a two-year in-service scholarship at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto, Canada in 1971, he was appointed News Director.
In 1972 Mr. Johnson was chosen by the Broadcasting Corporation to launch ZNS’ Northern Service in Freeport, Grand Bahama and stayed for two years as station manager. He returned to New Providence in 1974 and subsequently appointed general manager of the Corporation after the resignation of the late Walter Wisdom.
Failing his bid to win a seat as a Progressive Liberal Party candidate in the 1992 general election, he was appointed to the Senate by the late Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling and served until 1998.
Mr. Johnson was named The Bahamas’ High Commissioner to Canada in 2013 by Prime Minister the Rt Hon Perry Christie.
The Press Club offers condolences to his wife, children and extended family.
May he rest in peace.
