Over the past year or so the Broadcasting Commission has been on a mission to reach young people across Jamaica with its message “The Digital Future.” During our Schools’ Outreach Programme, we have visited over forty primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the country, sharing the message and sparking conversation about topics crucial to the development of digital media literacy. To date we have engaged with over 3,000 students.
The Digital Economy, the Digital Television Switchover beginning in 2015, Managing your Digital Self, Payola, and the Importance of Ratings in the Digital Age were some of the topics shared with Jamaican youth. These are necessary tools to enable youngsters to safely navigate their way through the new media environment.
The BCJ shared a lot of information—but, of course, we learnt a lot in return! It was truly rewarding experience.
Highlights from the BCJ’s trip to Mona High, captured by JIS.
Highlights from the BCJ’s trip to Mona High, captured by JIS.
We discovered many talented young people already using social media to build careers for themselves. Of course, this is not really surprising—you only have to log in to Facebook or Twitter to see how young people are already using social media to promote their talents.
Listening to the stories of two up and coming songwriters and performers artistes, Mona High School students Cedric Moodie and Iokoyi Ellis, was like watching the digital revolution unfold before our very eyes.
We live in a world where consumers are also creators of content and musicians have become their own marketers. Brimming with enthusiasm and passion for her craft, Ioyoki told us that a song inspired by the passing away of her father had already received over 1, 000 views on YouTube By now it is probably well over this number. Cedric Moodie, a young DJ also from Mona High School performed an original song following the BCJ’s presentation at his school. Cedric admitted that he has been pursuing success through more mainstream methods. He already has a song in rotation on local radio.
Cedric admitted, however, that after the BCJ presentation he acquired more knowledge about the music world that enabled him to market himself even better. If Cedric takes more advantage of using social media and other alternative methods to promote his craft, there’s a strong possibility he could see success that he would not have been able to experience otherwise.
The digital revolution offers countless opportunities. This is one of the reasons why we started the Schools’ Outreach programme—to help create awareness of these opportunities and to help develop digital media literacy.
A media literate person is arguably a more informed and successful one. Armed with the knowledge we’ve imparted during our presentation—and with the knowledge these young persons have acquired on their own—who knows where these budding talents may be in the next 10 years, or sooner?
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