Media Liaison Manager for the World Creole Music Festival Marcella Andre has noted that changes that will be made to the way members of the media are to conduct their practice at this year’s WCMF.
The Dominican-born Andre recently assumed her position and addressed the media at a WCMF press conference for the first time yesterday where she revealed that those changes will be key to the perpetuating of the Festival and announced that plans were afoot including the creation of a media handbook of guidelines for media practice at the WCMF.
Andre said, “One of the deliverable that we will have when I leave here is something that we can use going forward. We’re actually creating a manual of media guidelines, so far we’re about 15 pages into it, and this will be handed to all of the media managers, all of the media practitioners as well.”
Interviews conducted at the WCMF will also be different in an effort to promote professionalism and best practices, with press conferences.
“One of the main changes this year is that we are going to be doing press conference style interviews. There will not be a mad rush to try and grab the artistes as soon as they come off-stage. There’s going to be control, which is very important. If you imagine spending an hour and a half on-stage, to come off-stage to be mobbed, it’s not a comfortable thing. And it is not something that is done elsewhere, there is control. It is managed and we’re trying to develop the best practices, we’re trying to step our game up and embrace professionalism,” she said.
The media at the Festival will also be categorized into tiers and media houses which have contributed directly to the Festival will be granted priority access to the festival.
MARCELLA GOOD LUCK! GOOD IDEA
the professionalism eh marcella the proffesonalism , doh make the creole festival marketable and see if it not falling, where all u going with gyptian , and carimi again. u mean krazy kokonuts bringing down all artists and all u cannot bring a junior gong marley to sell out the festival man . thats poor a band like carimi dat always da , i mean come on man all u could bring octane instead of gyptian . what all u do with nasio all u pack him , i dont think its appealing nah this year. i hear all u done talking bout rihanna , where all u going with her. u mean so long aima and dem man singing not a 20 mins all u can give dem man on the stage. my sugesstion is to involve the public as to their choice of artists for the fest.
seems the media folks in Dominica doesnt undertands the rules of doing media work..thats interesting..
i think what is require is a decent booth where artist can sit and be questioned by core of media houses whith a WCMF cordinator making sure its smooth, no need to try to surpress the media houses, if you look around the globe media work is a hustle to get the news out, so it means you sending back the media folks to school by having a book..lol.
the issue here is that media folks have to be abreast of artist info and music legacy so they can ask the right questions in my view..but sadly Dominica doesnt have a entertainment industry where artist ablums are criticed and reviews as done by Pros.
take for instance very few media folks here would not know the difference between ali campbell now and and ub40..why ive heard a particular DJ on DBS trying to get the message arcoss thats its UB40 coming to Dominica, whereby not educating the public firmly on the facts, thats the blow media houses get when they arent informed about the facts!
the public is at the mercy of the media so wise and proffessional practice is key.
its rather sad that in the advent of some much techonolgy, like means of the internet and cable TV,we still havent shown the effort to research on the globe and come up with facts, we still have the tendacy of hear say and gossip rather that facts!
The fact is while all facets of the festival will be up to scratch, over the years the deliverable s from the attending media houses have being less that contributory to the Festival’s forward Movement in fifteen years where are the media reports or even after festival stories that are Done to chronicle these events. also the context of the statement that there will be tiers of priority does not mean that Non of the Media Houses will have access it means the amount of time that, lets say SAT for example gets in asking Gyptian questions at the Conference or any exclusive is based on there level of involvement and the expected Return stories or news feature based on the outlined agreement, the idea of the artiste being subjected to over 45mins after the show of every media department wanting a Drop for their station and all of this is being Dropped —Media houses must send in their experienced personnel to ensure that proper stories can be reported on the artiste and there involvement in the festival, Going forward this is to ensure that the Media Realizes that the festival is not a free pass to see a concert but a working event where they are sent by there institutions to work and not just have fun. the festival for the last 15 years has gone basically Un documented and with all these media houses there must be a level off control and them executing their Responsibilities
“…the context of the statement that there will be tiers of priority does not mean that Non (sic) of the Media Houses will have access it means the amount of time that, lets say SAT for example gets in asking Gyptian questions at the Conference or any exclusive is based on there (sic)level of involvement and the expected Return stories or news feature based on the outlined agreement…”
The idea that a state institution, funded by the people of Dominica, resorting to blackmailing the media (media houses which have contributed directly to the Festival will be granted priority access to the festival) so they can gain access to a state event, is immoral at the very least and should be condemned by all media and citizens.
this is the best i heard in the years, Marcella you have seen the crazy stuff that goes on behind the scene. while everyone is trying to get the artist to answer questions. keep up the good work.
“The media at the Festival will also be categorized into tiers and media houses which have contributed directly to the Festival will be granted priority access to the festival.” You have to be kidding me!
We kid you not. Those who pay the Piper (No pun intended) call the tune.
thats the way it is suppose to be. its done like that all over the world. larger media houses get first dibs
I see no need for this! I share the views of cerebrus and G.I Joe. All we need is improved security. Even if we have a handbook of 1,000 pages, how are you planning to enforce the rules????? Does it not revert back to improved security?
I am not sure about the comment that mobbing of artiste by the media houses does not happen elsewhere, because this has been my experience and that is exactly what I see on T.V. Look at what happens in tract and field, the athletes are unable to talk as they gasp for breath. Look at what happens at international shows, immediately the artiste gets off the stage he is interviewed by the attending media houses. So there is no evidence for that comment.
I guess it is a vain attempt to make this contrived position seem relevant.
Guidelines are good. They are at 15 pages. I hope this does not turn into a bureaucratic beast. Sometimes less is more.
This is indeed a good move.
Media Liaison Manager for the WCMF? is this deemed to be a full-time job? A 15 page hand book , and that’s just the beginning!This is laughable for an event that takes place once a year and still has to show a profit. Of course you don’t want your artists to be hustled but what are you employing sucurity guards for? Just make sure your security arrangements are up to scratch, that they are professional and do the job they are paid for. Surely the last thing we need is bloating a public body that is already struggling to meet its expenses.
The same thought crossed my mind. My other concern is they will create all kinds of red tape to justify the position. They have to show that they are relevant.
Great job Marcel we need to step up at a higher level thanks for seeing the need to go forward
It was about time that something like this was put in place. I sincrely hope that media practioners will adhere to the rules at the festival for ease and efficiency. Lets hope that all goes well and can continue in the years to come.
Good Luck!
WAY TO GO MARCELLA!!
I truly appreciate this Gesture. I must say, having worked backstage in the past, i have seen some real chaotic scenes where the media is concerned. I mean about this time of the year, almost every and any one is a media personell, and the way they go about asking questions and mobbing the artists were something that left a lot to be said.I really hope that this time it will be better.
Yeah but do u need a full time job and a 15 page plus hand book for that. This is ridiculous!
The Media Hand Book cannot be a one page or a simple item because it must take into account many crucial things one of which is copyrights, another is the contents of the artists contract with the DFC in relation to interviews as the artists may have certain restrictions. Media is not a simple aspect of life people and the hand book must address every possible scenario. stupes.