Broadcasters must push local content

The right legislative environment aimed at promoting artistes in small islands like Barbados can help those persons to thrive.

 

That’s the view of Musician and Chairman of the Copyright Society of Composers Authors and Publishers Inc. (COSCAP), Anderson ‘Blood’ Armstrong, as he spoke of the many challenges musicians face today, and alluded to the need for local broadcasters to be mandated to push local content. 

 

He made the comments while participating in a panel discussion earlier this week under the theme “Copyright and Related Rights, the Emerging Trends in the Digital Environment and the Challenges for Enforcement”, hosted by the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) to commemorate World Intellectual Property Day at Baobab Tower, Warrens.

 

“You won’t be able to stop the infiltration of the external, but you can promote the internal some more by making sure that we have the right legislation in place to promote more of what we have here to the young people, to the old people, to whoever. 

 

“So that not only are we getting more of us, but so are the regional people, so are the international people also getting more of us…We have our own television stations, we have our own radio stations and people all over the world tune in to listen to what we have to offer,” he said.

 

Noting the extent to which there is cultural penetration from outside, the veteran musician is adamant that measures need to be put in place to create value for our culture and artistes. 

 

Adding to Armstrong’s comments, Senior Coordinator, Intellectual Property, Science and Technology Issues with the CARICOM Office of Trade Negotiations, Malcolm Spence, explained that legislating local content has been touted for some time, but he is not now certain if implemented, it would have the desired effect. He said while he is not opposed to such legislation being introduced, suggesting that it does “send the right message”, he is concerned that the reach of the digital environment is “already so pervasive”.

 

“I think 20 years ago that is what we should have done. Unfortunately, I think the digital environment now means that people are accessing their material through media that are not within the control of single jurisdictions. So we may have our local broadcasters restricted to let’s say even 60 per cent local content and yet you would be able to go onto your laptop and access the internet and get other material, reducing the viewership or listenership of the local broadcasters, reducing their advertising revenues,” he said.

 

Armstrong is confident however, that if it is done across the board – with every station having to play the same amount of music – the playing field would be levelled and it is unlikely that advertisers would pull out.  (JRT)