The Barbados Advocate ? Support local artistes | Barbados Club

Support local artistes 8/24/2011 The 2011 Budget presented last Tuesday in Parliament by Finance Minister, Chris Sinckler, put a spotlight on the entertainment, recording and performing arts industry as one of the main planks of the local economy going forward. this is all part of Government?s thrust to formalise the support given to this industry in much the same way that agriculture, tourism and financial services have benefited in the past. In other words, Government is seeking to create an environment where people are encouraged to create their own job opportunities, rather than depend on being hired by an already established firm. this discussion about promoting entrepreneurship is not new, but the topic has by no means been exhausted. after all, it stands to reason that with more business persons operating in the economy, each bringing their own ideas to the table, there will be greater diversity of the services and goods on offer locally.The recently concluded Crop over Festival was a most apt example of how much economic activity and employment can be generated from the entertainment industry. it is a pity that for all the musical talent that exists on the island, only a few big names can make a living from full-time participation in the music industry. over the years, many have lamented the fact that too many would-be artistes are not committed to the advancement of the industry. Many question why artistes only release music for the Crop over season instead of year-round. In reply, the artistes themselves posit that there is a lack of support for local music outside of the Crop over period and even moreso for those artistes and groups outside of the genres of calypso and soca. after all, while during the festival some stations institute ?100% soca? policies, no such consideration is given after Crop over and certainly not in other musical genres. indeed, one calypso finalist in this year?s competition addressed this issue in his call for a ?Bajan Station?.so, many local artistes are no doubt happy to endorse the Finance Minister?s call to all local radio stations to commit to a policy of playing no less than 60% locally produced music. this is an interesting proposal coming from the Government, who it is hoped, will lead by example. after all, one of the major local media networks, the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), is state-owned. The CBC has three radio stations, each catering to different demographics, as well as the lone local television station, TV8, which shows music videos occasionally. this is the perfect platform from which Government can lead this new charge to ?unearth, develop and sell to the world the new generation of cultural Ambassadors from Barbados?, as the Minister urged in his Budget presentation.As for privately-owned radio stations following suit, it would be appropriate to mention here that there are considerations in the mix that go beyond patriotism. If, for example, there is a classical radio station, but not enough local offerings to make up 60% of airtime, there should be no prejudice against the radio station in question; nor should there be an expectation for the radio station to change its musical offerings to better match what is being produced locally. The music radio stations play is largely determined by their target audience and this in turn shapes the identity of the station. By all means, the promotion of quality local music should be encouraged, but it should not be at the expense of the radio station?s identity and the enjoyment of its listeners.

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