The Jamaica Information Service (JIS), as a government agency, is mandated to disseminate information that will enhance public awareness and increase knowledge of the policies and programmes of the Government of Jamaica.
At the time of its establishment in 1956, the agency embraced two main functions: the production and dissemination of information; functions that remain part of the agency’s core responsibilities to this day.
The agency was first known as the Government Public Relations Office (GPRO), which was primarily concerned with issuing press releases and maintaining good relations between the press and the Government.
After a name change in 1963, the JIS has embarked on a series of modifications to better suit the information and technology needs of the Jamaican press and citizenry. This includes providing cutting edge media services to clients within the government and disseminating information across all available mass media.