Radio Turks and Caicos, is the official Government Radio station. The sole frequency that it can be heard on across the Turks & Caicos Islands is 89.1 FM. (Formerly there were three frequencies that could be heard across the Turks & Caicos Islands: 107.7 FM in Providenciales, 103.9 FM in North & Middle Caicos, and 101.9 FM in Grand Turk, Salt Cay & South Caicos). Located in the capital, Grand Turk, the station originally could have been heard on frequency 1460 AM and was known as “The Voice of the Nation”. Today we are, "the Entertainment Capital of the TCI"

At RTC, we offer our listeners a unique blend of talk radio, easy listening, up to date news, daily shows and entertainment. Our staff consists of talented artist and musicians well known to our listening community. RTC is the only radio station that is broadcasting over the entire Turks and Caicos Islands, giving us the benefit of reaching a monumental number of listeners across our nation. Our listeners are loyal and consistently listening to RTC for all of their daily information.

This website was launched on the 12^th, October 2009 "Christopher Columbus Day" and has stunned the nation with over 200,000 hits effective the end of October. As an evolving station RTC can now be viewed on smart phones where you can take us anywhere in the world by logging on to http://mobile.rtc107fm.com. Through this medium you can follow our news, entertainment, sports and most importantly you can listen to us on your mobile phone anywhere in the world.

RTC is the 1st radio station in the Turks & Caicos to offer these features and will be offering a lot more in the future. Our social networks are limitless as we connect with the world through Facebook, Twitter among other social networks made available to us in the TCI.

Our station through this web is affording our people the opprotunity to vote on our polls, express there views through our blog, send greeting cards, purchase items through our E-Store, watch our television programs through RTC TV among many other features offered on this site. Our children will learn about culture and history through our site as another way of expanding their minds with the help of the greatest station in the nation.

Speaking about history, during the late 1960s and early 1970s Cable & Wireless established and maintained an AM radio station (VSI8) on Grand Turk. Many TCI Islanders were living in and working in the Bahamas at the time and they often used the radio station to broadcast messages to their friends and relatives back home. The messages were sent in the form of telegrams, by telegraph linked to Grand Turk, where operators would prepare them in time for the lunchtime news. Announcements were made at the beginning of the local news section. In the case of an urgent message, often the entire contents were read out. The radio also provided up to the minute information on the only international air service to the Turks & Caicos; Bal's direct flight from Nassau Bahamas to South Caicos.

The transmitters and studio for VSI8, as the station was named was housed in Cable & Wireless building on Front Street, Grand Turk. In those days the radio station was the medium that Turks & Caicos Islanders also used to communicate throughout the Islands as there was no other means of communications other than the mail facilities through the General Post Office.

Then, the radio station was soley owned and operated by Cable & Wireless and is today owned by the Broadcasting Commission under TCIG. As far back from the 1960s, the announcers were Harry Francis, Alden Astwood, Earle Malcolm, Earle Glinton, Herbie Ingham and during the 1970s the new announcers were Vernon Malcolm, Edison Brooks, Newton Glinton and Chester Smith who were also members of Cable & Wireless.

In the 1970s Turks and Caicos Islands Government decided to take the station on board maintaining it's location. That is when William Grant (Garvey) started the 1:30pm Government News and Cable & Wireless continued with their paid news and announcements.

When TCIG took over VSI8 the station name was changed and Radio Turks & Caicos was formed.

In the late 80s when the station relocated to Waterloo, the first appointed Director was Sam Tate of CBC Radio Barbados. Other Directors included Richard Williams, Vernon Allick, Lynnette Thomas & Stanley Astwood to name a few. The first Chairman of the Commission was Rev. Reuben Hall.

Today, the Director of Radio Turks & Caicos is Christopher Jarrett and Assistant Director is Lynnette Thomas. The Chairman of the Commission is Pedro Ariza.

The Director can be contacted through cjarrett@gov.tc or his Deputy, Mr Damian Wilson via email ddwilson@gov.tc.

Now continue to view the site or listen as we satisfy you.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the hard working team of RTC and all of our contributing staff and free lancers for making RTC what it is today.

The journey has been long for those who were here before us and those who will come after us. I salute those who have contributed over the past forty years and those who will follow after us.

- Chris Jarrett, The Director

Friday, 07 May 2021 14:08