Reggae Music News

“Appreciate what is ours” – Grange tells disc jockeys

Babsy GrangeKingston, December 20, 2016 – Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, is urging radio stations to play more Jamaican music.

Referring to data from the Jamaica Association of Composers Authors and Publishers (JACAP), which deals with the payment of royalties for the performance of music in Jamaica, the Minister said it was clear that there is a preference for the playing of foreign music in the island.

“I am very disappointed about JACAP having to pay out more money for foreign music played on the radio than it has for Jamaican music. 32 million dollars have been sent out of the country while only 7 million dollars have been paid to Jamaican writers for music based on what the radio stations are playing,” Minister Grange said at the launch of Rebel Salute 2017 at the Pegasus Hotel yesterday (Monday).

Minister Grange said that if there were not such a huge disparity, more money would be distributed to local creators of music and spent right here in the local economy.

It is against this background that she appealed to disc jockeys and radio librarians to include more locally-created music in their programming.

“Appreciate what is ours and promote what is ours,” the Minister said.

In endorsing Rebel Salute, Minister Grange commended Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica and the entire team for putting on an event that “promotes good Jamaican music”.

Commentary

Rebel Salute

This year we will not miss Rebel Salute. We endorse this reggae event.

Foreign Content

Comments attributed to Minister Grange re disparity in paying out royalties to foreign recording companies, labels etc. Is interesting to say the least. We must protect local content.

Canada

As a broadcaster in Canada, there was a policy on Canadian content .. if my memory serves me well it was 60 percent Canadian to 40 percent foreign. This is a great policy as it protects local producers and artistes.

Free Market

We are in a free market and we should allow market forces to sway the day, but the powers that be must protect local content. There has to be a balance … if tilted it must be toward local content.

We hope Jamaican and West Indian music leaders will follow Canada’s lead and protect/promote local content and artistes. Cultural contamination is also a danger.

Protecting local content is the right thing to do. See attached release.

Commentary by Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie, Senior International Correspondent & photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.

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