ENTERTAINMENT
Music & Media Shaping Behaviours
- Thu, 2013-01-03 11:51
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The Bureau of Women’s Affairs in Jamaica partnered with the Blossom O’Meiley-Nelson Foundation to examine ‘The Impact of Public Images on Sexual Violence against Women & Girls’. The following is my presentation which specifically examined the influences of music and media in shaping behaviours. Some of the material here had to be cut from the presentation in view of time constraints.
The Power of Music & Media
Streaming - Social Media, Mobile Lifestyles (The New Book)
- Wed, 2012-04-25 16:28
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STREAMING: #Social Media, Mobile Lifestyles artfully combines relevant and often humorous short stories to explain and support findings from primary research on youth engagement via social networks and mobile phones. In addition to traditional methods such as surveys, focus group sessions and interviews, the author, Marcia Forbes, by way of virtual ethnography, immerses herself in life online to give a sensitive and true to life account of how social media, Twitter and Facebook but also the use of mobile phones (especially smartphones) are changing not only how we communicate and but also our very way of everyday life.
Music Media and Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica
- Wed, 2012-04-25 15:17
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Rationale for the Book
Mobile TV via Cell Phone in Jamaica
- Thu, 2012-03-22 21:31
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There was a great deal of excitement regarding the prospect of mobile TV via one's cell phone. This service was launched in Jamaica one year ago, in January 2011. This is what I wrote at the time. Today it seems the excitement has all but disappeared. The flavour of the day, March 2012, is 4G. Who knows what it will be tomorrow.
Content Drives Demand
Adele, Celine, Whitney - Melodies that Make Us Cry. Why?
- Tue, 2012-03-13 12:40
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Written Feb. 22, 2012
Daggering Dancehall
- Fri, 2012-03-09 11:04
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Dancehall daggering was all the rage in 2010. The book, Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica, captures the many relationships teenagers hold with dancehall music and their accompanying videos. This Clovis image captures the phenomenon and is depicted at the start of the final chapter of that book.
Social Media – Much More Than a Joke!
- Thu, 2012-01-19 15:37
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It’s important to make the deadline for my book but I’m constantly being distracted. This time it’s by the very subject on which I’m writing, social media. Very early in the morning of Nov. 30, I noticed the back and forth tweets. There was nothing on the radio news though. That’s odd, I thought, that this could have happened and no one knew. Could that story have been overtaken by the growing quagmire of the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) which raged the night before with the resignation of the Minister of Transportation and which drove CVM TV into a live news broadcast at about 11:30 PM? I thought no, since this DJ is always controversial and Jamaicans take dancehall matters very seriously.
The Social Impact of Jamaican Popular Music
- Tue, 2011-09-20 15:48
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Excerpts from July 2011 Lecture to Students from Temple University, USA
What is Jamaican Popular Music?
What music are we talking about when we speak of Jamaican popular music? Is it music indigenous to Jamaica, created by Jamaicans or does it also include popular music consumed and enjoyed by Jamaicans? And what about music created by Jamaicans living outside of Jamaica?
In the research work toward Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica, when asked to indicate which of 17 different genres they most enjoyed watching, 28.2% of respondents listed Dancehall. Of note though is that 27% named Hip Hop as their first choice. Reggae only attracted 17% of first choice votes.
Kartel Lectures UWI – Tweets Compiled
- Sun, 2011-03-13 18:54
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Controversy accompanied Jamaica's popular DJ Vybz Kartel's 'lecture' at the University of the West Indies. As soon as I got home from the event I posted a series of tweets. Based on the numeorus references and retweets (well over 100 after first 12 hours) and requests pertaining to these tweets, I decided to compile them for posterity and clarity and to include all those posted between Thursday, March 10th through to Saturday, March 12, 2011. They are numbered and presented in chronological order and represent my tweets only and not the various responses and comments to them.
Me & My Mobile -- Buju Live via Mobile Phone
- Thu, 2011-02-17 10:28
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Content Drives Demand
I heard it first on radio via talk show host, Ragashati, Mr. King of Mixup!! Good for LIME I thought, who better than Raga to make this announcement. After all, King Raga has afternoon radio locked into sorting, swiping and similar sexual stimulations. LIME was therefore guaranteed a large audience for the announcement that its trade-in offer of your old cell phone, from whichever provider, for one of its new mobile TV phones was sold out by Friday afternoon, January 14th. This came after only a couple days of the offer being publicized and from all reports was a great surprise for LIME—hence the fact that they ran out of instruments so soon, leaving many would-be mobile TV watchers very disappointed.
Dancehall Dilemma
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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In response to the question, “If a boy and a girl were watching music videos to what extent would each of the following types make them want to try to have sex?” Almost 68% of boys and 65% of girls said Dancehall videos would do this either ‘often’ or ‘very often’. When asked specifically about them and even though some adolescents tried to escape the question, Dancehall still emerged as the type of video which most made them feel to have sex.
One Caribbean writer has gone as far as to name Jamaican dancehall music as a possible contributor to the rising incidence of HIV/AIDS stating, 
Language and Lyrics—The Rampin Debate
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Finally at long last something tangible is being done to address lewd lyrics and visuals via our public media. Some 3 years ago, a series of approximately 20 articles highlighting some of my research findings on the influence of television on adolescents were carried in one of our newspapers. That body of work was conducted toward a PhD and specifically examined music videos and the sexual culture of Jamaican adolescents. The research findings made it obvious to me that intervention by the Broadcasting Commission was essential to restoring some level of accountability and responsibility by local media, DJs and music video producers. I said as much in the thesis chapter which focused on recommendations.
Burdened by a sense of duty to make the research findings widely available, a book detailing them is substantially completed. Fine tuning and publication await defense of the thesis (oral examination), since one cannot publish thesis work in a fulsome manner prior to such defense. I continue to await the orals. However, I am driven to add my voice to the raging controversy over Ramping Shop and the decision by the Broadcasting Commission since I am one of the few Jamaicans who have generated primary empirical data regarding the influence of music on our youths.
Big People Business Outta Road
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Like boaters and gamblers, dancehall aficionados once subscribed to the belief that what happens in the dance is supposed to stay in the dance. Dancehall (the venue) and what happens there is ‘big people business’. ‘Pickney doan belong in big people business’. That has changed! I was fascinated by the way in which the ubiquitous video camera and camera-man became participant observers in the activities at Passa Passa. Not just capturing but also creating content as attendees performed specifically for the camera.
Jamaican boaters have a favourite expression, ‘What happens at sea s
tays at sea’. I believe they honour this adage. Similarly, we often hear, ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’. Gamblers and others who jet off to Vegas honour this tradition of silence. Like boaters and gamblers, dancehall aficionados once subscribed to the belief that what happens in the dance is supposed to stay in the dance.
Message in the Music
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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To tap into the extent to which our adolescents actually knew the lyrics of the videos they watched, I asked them to indicate this by way of a scale. Did they know all, most, some, a few or none of the words of the music videos they liked best? Almost three-quarters (72.5%) of them said they knew ‘all’ or ‘most’ of the words. Another 17.5% knew ‘some’ of the words, 8.2% knew only ‘a few’ while 1.4% said they knew ‘none’.
How often have we wondered just what some of the lyrics of these songs are saying? I remember sitting in a board room with a group of media managers trying to interpret the words of one of Missy Elliott’s songs. “If you’re worth it, let me work it” something like that. Those were the only few words of the song I actually knew but the rhythm was so infectious that I sang my own version of lyrics each time I heard the song.
Changing Youth Trends—Why? What to Do?
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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By electronic media most of us will immediately think of radio and TV. Not so anymore!
The computer and through it internet sites as well as cellular telephones are now beginning to make their mark as members of the electronic media in Jamaica. However, we must remember that media does not operate in a vacuum. Media feeds upon and is fed by what takes place within society and concurrently feeds back to society. It’s a two way process.
I recently presented some of the findings from my research work to the 157th General Assembly 
of the Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU). The Baptists are concerned about changing youth trends and what to them appear to be identifiable shifts in the priorities, values and morals of Jamaican youths. In preparing for that session, I was challenged to think about the ways in which these trends are being manifested and ways to deal with some of the related issues. I was specially invited because of my media involvement and research work, so clearly the role of the electronic media in Jamaica was the focus of my presentation.
Sexing Things Up on TV—But Will They Use a Condom?
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Accepting that television has increasingly become a major agent of socialization and that many tweens and teens spend more hours with the TV screen than most parents approve, the potential problems become obvious. The response of one urban middle class Jamaican girl bears this out. She felt that “because most of the videos giving the sex appeal thing, it’s making most of us going and thinking that sex is alright…having unprotected sex.”
Sex on TV seems de rigueur. In the USA there is now more sex than even on television. The Kaiser Family Foundation, a US philanthropic group, has an ongoing interes
t in sexual health among young people and the potential contributions of mass media to sexual behavior.
Who Am I? It depends on your choice of music
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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In Jamaica the bases for comparison with most of the locally produced music videos run deeper and wider than just age. Colour and class play important roles. Most of the local artistes are dark skinned as are the majority of our youths. Adolescents identify with the artistes, as individuals, as well as with the lyrics they sing. They compare themselves with those they see in the videos. Through these comparisons, adolescents come to know more about themselves and what they want from life as well as make determinations about their own abilities.
In order to determine whether we fit in or measure up, we compare ourselves with others who we perceive to be similar to us. The more favourable the comparison, the better we’ll feel about ourselves and the greater the boost to our self-esteem. Many of the people adolescents see in music videos are close to their age and in some cases are themselves adolescents. If only based on age therefore, adolescents have grounds for comparing themselves with these artistes.
Consuming a Culture of Sex
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Different genres of videos evoke different emotions. In the face to face encounters some focus group participants displayed an almost protectionist attitude toward dancehall, not wanting to link it directly to any sexual feelings. But in research there are ways and means of probing in order to get at the truth and non-verbal communication can speak volumes.
“R & B helps to like reflect deeply on relationships”
It Wasn’t Me!!—Blame TV
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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“Honey came home and caught me red-handed banging on the bathroom floor” Despite this confession to his friend Shaggy, the latter was clear in his instructions to Ric Rok, “Say it wasn’t you”. We all celebrate Shaggy and his successes even with this ‘barefacedness’, succinctly captured in his advice to deny, deny, deny. Many parents and caregivers in Jamaica, even with the evidence staring at them, are as ‘barefaced’ and ‘dry eyed’ as Shaggy. They refuse to take any responsibility for what their children watch on TV.
“Honey came home and caught me red-handed banging on the bathroom floor” Despite this
confession to his friend Shaggy, the latter was clear in his instructions to Ric Rok, “Say it wasn’t you”. We all celebrate Shaggy and his successes even with this ‘barefacedness’, succinctly captured in his advice to deny, deny, deny.
Art versus Life—The Gully Gaza Feud
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Kartel has power over girls and what they think about themselves. His lyrical commentary on their various bodyparts is important to them.
Vybz Kartel has done the right thing in coming out against the use of his image accompanied by guns and other anti-social messages emblazoned across pins meant for adorning apparel worn by youths or whomever so desire. I heard him speak against the piracy of his image on merchandize he did not authorize nor from which he will derive any financial benefit.
A New Generation Weighs in --The Battle of Reggae v/s Dancehall
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Because of the critical role which music plays in our culture and the ways in which locally produced music videos have pride of place on local cable TV, it seemed inevitable that I would be draw into some discussion of our indigenous music forms. I’ve picked out the most frequently mentioned aspects pertaining to dancehall and reggae for highlight in this article. For dancehall it’s gender relations while for reggae it’s “message music”.
At the beginning of my research on the possible influence of television on the sexual culture of Jamaican adolescents, I told myself that I had absolutely no intention of getting embroiled in any controversy surrounding Reggae versus Dancehall. 
There are numerous experts in that area and I had no interest in joining them.
Dancehall ‘Peace’ or ‘Piece’
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Jamaica needs to move beyond the constant bickering and juvenile quarrels among its dancehall artistes and focus on moving the music forward.
The furor over whether or not there should have been a Jamaica House meeting with the now
infamous Gully Gaza protagonists was expected. Damned if you do! Damned if you don’t! Symbolism is necessary. Unfortunately, it is never sufficient. We must now move beyond simply ‘meeting’ to the more important matter of working together toward solutions to the ongoing trace outs among our musicians.
Twitter Users in Jamaica-- DJs & Singers (Work-In-Progress List)
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Recognizing the value of measurement as one way of tracking Twitter use by Jamaicans, I have started a list of DJs/Singjays/Singers who are using this social media form. The list is work-in-progress. Those who fall in this category but have not seen their names are invited to tweet me @marciaforbes so they can be added. Those whose names (real or stage) are there but not the one they use on Twitter are also invited to tweet me up.
Back up the Chat!
Together we can work to ‘back-up the chat’ with facts when we talk about Jamaicans and use of new media technologies. This list is being generated toward precisely that end. Because music and music production is so important to Jamaica and Jamaicans, a list of Music Producers who are on Twitter would also be useful. You are invited to send me your names and Twitter ‘handle’.
WORK-IN-PROGRESS LIST OF DJs/Singjays/Singers on TWITTER
Must Blog!! Blame it on Dancehall
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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This rather tongue-in-cheek blog that is not a blog looks at language and dancehall. It takes off from the pride felt by watching Bree and Edgar perform Kartel and Popcaan’s song, Clarks.
Wrong Day & Not a Blog
It’s Friday afternoon. From everything I’ve read this is not a good day to blog. In any event this is not a blog but a mere few words of comment (LOL) which will not go to blogsphere, wordpress or any blog site—only to my lowly website and shared with my tweeps.
Truth is though; I’ve got to get this out of my system. Blame it on dancehall. Most other things are, so why not this too. After watching Bree and Edgar, Canadian dancers, perform in a dance competition to Kartel and Popcaan’s sell-off Dancehall song, Clarks, I feel compelled to write.
Proud of Dancehall
Reggae Sumfest Tweets & The Power of Social Media
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Reggae Sumfest is a large 3 day outdoor music concert hosted every July in Jamaica for the past 18 years. This year its top foreign acts were Usher and Chris Brown out of the USA. This article features my experience with highlighting the event via Twitter and the overwhelming support for this from Chris Brown’s Fan Clubs worlwide.
POWER of New Media
Reggae Sumfest 2010, renamed ‘mudfest’ by some, has come and gone but remains indelibly etched in my memory for bringing clearly and resoundingly home to me the POWER of social media. At the event I wrote 24 tweets about Chris Brown, many with picture attached. A tweet is a microblog comprised on a short sentence of 140 characters (about 17 words).
My Chris Brown tweets were retweeted (passing the message on to one’s followers) 356 times. The description of what Breezy was wearing as he entered the stage secured the most retweets (29). That of his dancing was next with 28. The majority of my tweets each received almost 20 retweets. In total over the 3 nights of Sumfest my tweets were retweeted almost 450 times.
Payola -- Not Only in Music!!
- Thu, 2010-09-23 09:53
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Recently the Broadcasting Commission hosted a forum for regional regulators and media practioners. They invited me to talk about media content standards and specifically to discuss the issue of payola. The researcher in me sprung to life as I called around updating myself on this ever-present and never likely to leave problem within our media industry. Anyway, those who fool themselves into believing that payola is only music or media- related need to wise-up.
Payola not confined to music
Payola is rife across ALL sectors of the Jamaican society. I recently hear talk of an aspiring politician, an upcoming leader in one of the youth organizations, and the way in which he has been selling himself as a facilitator, as someone who can provide access to the upper echelons of his party. A ‘small’ fee of J$1 Million is required for this ‘fix’. So let’s get off the backs of the DJs and VJs and recognize the problem for what it really is, an almost total erosion of our values and our too frequent ‘aah nuh nutten’ approach to corruption.
