Windward Islands Broadcasting Service (WIBS)

Windward Islands Broadcasting Service (WIBS) played a foundational role in the development of radio broadcasting in Dominica. Established in 1954 as part of a regional network serving the Windward Islands, WIBS provided a platform for local programming while linking Dominica with Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent through shared shortwave broadcasts.

WIBS Operations in Dominica

In Dominica, the WIBS studio was located behind the Roseau Public Library on Victoria Street. From this modest setup, the station produced local content, news, educational programs, music, and community updates, while also transmitting regional broadcasts coordinated from the main hub in Grenada. It was one of the first avenues through which Dominicans heard locally produced voices on air, shaping early public discourse and cultural identity.

Transition to National Broadcasting

With the dissolution of WIBS in the early 1970s, Dominica moved to establish its own national radio station. In 1971, Radio Dominica was born and later evolved into the Dominica Broadcasting Corporation (DBS Radio). This marked a significant step toward media self-determination, with local control over programming, news, and national messaging.

WIBS’ influence is still felt in the Dominican broadcasting landscape, remembered as the catalyst that gave rise to one of the region’s earliest and most respected public radio stations.