M.M.A.S.J

Dr Marcia Forbes presents a copy of her book to her Alma Mater

 

Dr. Marcia Forbes presents a copy of her book Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica to the Principal of her Alma Mater, The Queen's High School for Girls.

UWI Professor endorses book about the influence of music on adolescents

Professor Patricia Mohammed, Professor of Gender and Cultural Studies, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad has given Dr Marcia Forbes' book 'Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica' a glowing review. The following has been excerpted from her review.

Music Media and Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica

Rationale for the Book

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Daggering Dancehall

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.

The Social Impact of Jamaican Popular Music

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.

About ‘Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica’ (2010)

Rationale for the Book

Caribbean Studies Association on the Late Professors Chevannes & Nettleford and Book Review by Prof. LeoRhynie

Fortuitous

It is entirely fortuitous that Professor Elsa LeoRhynie's review of my book, Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica, has been published in the same Caribbean Studies Newsletter as Professor Peter Figueroa's Eulogy to Professor Barry Chevannes.   Barry wrote the foreword to my book and died only days after its launch in Jamaica.  Having been critically ill in hospital, due respect was paid to him at that event. 

The Psychology of Marketing – Do you know why you buy?

Background 

This presentation was made at the one day marketing seminar hosted by final year marketing students from the University of Technology at the Jamaica Conference Centre.  Hundreds of students, staff and supporters attended.  I was quite impressed with the quality of the discussions which followed each presentation.  Other speakers included former Minister of Energy and Telecommunications, Member of Parliament Phillip Paulwell, Mr. Wayne Chen, Businessman and Chairman of the Jamaica Employers' Federation and the Urban Development Corp and Professor Ross, Department of Marketing, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec.

PRESENTATION

The Old Men & Old Ways

Effective Sexuality Communication for Social Transformation Reframed as “Meet Me Inna de Rampin Shop & on Facebook”

The topic given to me by the Jamaica Theological Seminary was ‘Effective Sexuality Communication for Social Transformation’. When I first saw this topic, I said WOW, that’s quite a mouthful and quite a task for me to take on! Social Transformation, that’s a huge challenge. And in today’s Jamaica, seeming impossibility, so entrenched are our formal and informal institutions and our practices. So far gone is the erosion of our moral and ethical standing as a people as daily we are exposed to the lies and deceit of the Manatt Phelps Phillips and the Finsac Enquiries. Both brought about by the incompetence of our leaders and seen as reality TV, especially MPP, with audiences cracking up over the theatrics.
 

UWI Panel Discussion –Social Impact of Jamaican Popular Music

Feb. 26, 2011

Greetings
I am delighted to be here with the other panellists – Professor Freddie Hickling, Dr. Donna Hope and Mr Cordell Green -- exploring and discussing Jamaica’s popular music. I have no doubt that this will largely centre on dancehall. I thank Professor Claudette Williams of the Cultural Studies Department, University of the West Indies, for inviting me to participate.

THE IMPACT OF MUSIC ON THE PSYCHE OF CHILDREN – HOW IT AFFECTS BEHAVIOUR & PERCEPTIONS

Institute of Jamaica
Audience –Adults & Children
February 21, 2011

Thank you for inviting me to share some thoughts with you today about the ways in which music can influence us.
There are many schools of thought about music and its ability to influence our thoughts and our behaviours—to get into our minds and make us think and do certain things:

Book Launch - Music, Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica

Issues of Images & Identity - Cable TV & the Music Jamaica Adolescents Watch (Part 2)

Sunday, September 17, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

The survey established that the top three favourite music video genres for Jamaican adolescents were dancehall, hip hop and reggae, in that order. These three genres (dancehall, hip hop and reggae) were therefore specifically examined. Both dancehall and reggae music are indigenous to Jamaica while hip hop is primarily an American product. Throughout the week, Sunday to Saturday, foreign cable TV was the dominant mode via which adolescents watched hip hop and dancehall music videos, 53% and 40.2% respectively.

Last week I noted that although weekend days (Fridays and Saturdays) showed strong viewership of music videos via local cable TV, overall, Sunday through to Saturday, it is via foreign cable TV that most heavy viewers watched. What are the implications of this heavy viewership of music videos via cable TV? This question is somewhat answered by examination of a number of other factors, including whether heavy viewers were more likely to watch any specific video genre via any particular transmission mode. 

Dancehall Dilemma

Sunday, October 29, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

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,

Looking Jolly with the Lolly—Adolescents & Oral Sex

Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

' What is sex?’, “Does oral sex qualify as sex?” American adolescents seem to have learned lessons from the ‘Lewinsky Scandal’ as we now hear that one in five U.S. teenagers say they have engaged in oral sex but many do not regard it as sex at all (Reuters, Oral Sex Safe and Not Really Sex, Say U.S. Teens, April 4, 2005). Based on my discussions with teenagers it seems that many girls from all types of schools across Jamaica are willingly performing oral sex without apparently considering it sex at all.

The mid 1990s ‘Lewinsky Scandal’ helped to redefine the meaning of sexual relations. This highly publicized expose was followed in the media by viewers, listeners and readers across the world. Although Monica Lewinsky admitting that she had performed oral sex on U.S. President Clinton, he nevertheless denied sexual relations with her, stating that he did nothing inappropriate. 

Issues of Images & Identity - Cable TV & the Music Jamaica Adolescents Watch (Part 1)

Sunday, September 10, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

Access to technology is one feature of the modern state. Some argue that this often comes at a high price. Within the small and developing countries of the English speaking Caribbean such as Jamaica, there is particular disquiet pertaining to the consumeristic and sexist messages portrayed via ‘American’ TV in general and music videos in particular. Against the backdrop of poverty and high levels of teenage pregnancies, the extent to which Jamaican adolescents have access to cable TV and how this influences their consumption of music videos is of more than academic interest.

Why Worry?

Message in the Music

Saturday, January 6, 2007
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

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.

Females Can Drive Music Videos Meaning Creation

Friday, November 10, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

When I examined who they mostly watched with when they did have company, I realized the important role females could play in helping young people to place the contents of music videos in a particular context. A number of adolescents said they watched music videos with their sisters (43.3%--surely some must be much older sisters), their mothers (23%), aunts (19.1%) and grandmothers (7.3%).

Last week I started a discussion about the kinds of ways in which who we watch TV with, where we watch and the overall context of viewing can influence the ways in which we interpret what we see. This week I want to talk a bit more about this. 

Dumbing Down for Parents

Monday, November 6, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

In the fairly ‘public domain’ of living/family room other family members are probably present or pass through as the adolescent watches TV. Mediated viewing can be a positive or negative experience. Research out of the United Kingdom indicate the ways in which young people deliberately disguise their knowledge of sex related matters so as to prevent their parents from feeling embarrassed when they watch together. They act dumb to protect their parents.

I was very keen to find out where in the house or elsewhere young people mainly watched videos. Did they mainly watch in areas of the house easily accessible to other family members or by themselves in private? Watching TV by one’s self is a different experience from watching with relatives, friends or strangers. It can also be very different depending on which relatives, e.g. adults versus siblings, you watch with. It can also be very different depending on which friends e.g. girlfriend/boyfriend versus regular peers, you watch with.

Girls Say - Soap Me Up

Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

There is a widely held view that we are what we consume—not just food but media fare as well. In fact some believe that media consumption is central to identity formation. Based on complaints levied against soap operas for portraying too much sex and focusing on extra marital affairs and other types of risky practices, I was particularly interested in this programme genre. Of the 26 adolescents who named soap operas as their # 1 favourite type of TV programme, 24 were girls. Two-thirds of those girls who loved soaps more than any other type of TV programme wanted to look like the women in them.

There is a widely held view that we are what we consume—not just food but media fare as well. In fact some believe that media consumption is central to identity formation. We are what we watch on TV, listen to on radio and read in newspapers and magazines. Of course for me ‘TV’ extends beyond plain old TV to now include the computer screen as well, and I’m even beginning to stretch it to cell phone screens. Anyway, if consumption does indeed confer identity, then what are we consuming in Jamaica? And what of our identity?

Consuming a Culture of Sex

Sunday, August 27, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

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

Sunday, October 1, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

“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. 

Escaping through Music Videos

Sunday, August 13, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

How often have we heard complaints about music videos? They show nothing good! Pure slackness! Too much whining up! The girls too naked! Yet how many of us have stopped to try to understand what these short, exciting, music driven TV programmes really mean to young people, especially to Jamaican teenagers? This article highlights some of the ways in which Jamaican adolescents use music videos.

How often have we heard complaints about music videos? They show nothing good! Pure slackness! Too much whining up! The girls too naked! Yet how many of us have stopped to try to understand what these short, exciting, music driven TV programmes really mean to young people, especially to Jamaican teenagers?

Watching TV ? - What's That ?

Sunday, October 22, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

As technologies coupled with Government policies expand the media landscape and the number of players, every communication channel and each advertiser will need to examine its relationship with its audience/consumers. Who is watching TV? For what purpose? What else are they doing while watching and in what ways can this affect how they interpret what they see? Almost all adolescents (93.1%) indicated that eating and or drinking were a part of the music video watching experience.

In another article I spent some time discussing watching TV while studying or doing school work and the implications for retention and recall. While not having spelt this out, clearly there are consequences with respect to our children’s academic performance. Parents take note. In this article I want to spend some time examining the other activities adolescents are engaged with while watching TV. This type of information should be useful for media managers and advertisers as they compete for attention in this highly competitive and cluttered media landscape, one which promises to get even moreso.

Sexing Things Up on TV—But Will They Use a Condom?

Sunday, October 15, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

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 interest in sexual health among young people and the potential contributions of mass media to sexual behavior.

The Allure of the American Dream—Mek we love farin soh?

Sunday, September 3, 2006
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Abstract: 

A full 100% of the girls who identified pop music videos as their # 1 choice among all genres wanted to look like the women in these videos, while almost two thirds (65%) of those who choose hip hop wanted to look like the women in those videos. Although overall dancehall music videos was the favourite genre among both male and female adolescents, fewer girls (about 40%) wanted to look like the women in dancehall music videos. The data shows a clear preference among Jamaican girls to want to look like the ‘foreign girls’.

In my quest to understand the relationships our young people have with TV and specifically with music videos, in the survey I asked them several questions pertaining to various aspects of watching TV as well as music videos. I was particularly interested in their opinions on some of the more contentious aspects of music video content e.g. the lifestyles frequently portrayed, male-female relationships, dress styles, dance styles and the appearance of the music video stars. As I analyze the data I have found questions of identity almost forcing themselves on me. You know the way authors sometimes say that the book wrote itself? Well my situation is not quite as fortunate, although I wish it were.

Sucky Phones & Sexting

Friday, April 30, 2010
Written By: 
Marcia Forbes
Written By: 
Media Specialist, Researcher
Abstract: 

As technology continues its advance, parents need to be even more vigilant about what their children are involved with via the cell, the computer or whatever other communication devices they are using.

I laughed to myself when I hear the expression, but to the 10 year old beside me it was not a joke. She was quite serious in condemning her parents for making her suffer with what she described as a ‘sucky phone’. I later hear the very same expression from a 10 year old boy in another of my in-depth interviews. These were upper-middle class tweens who found it intolerable that they didn’t have the latest smart phone which would allow them to do much more than just send or receive phone calls.

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