VGMA and the media fixation
Let’s face it, the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) is the biggest event on the Ghanaian entertainment calendar. Being the biggest it is naturally the one that would attract the biggest level of discussions and whatever form of analyses whenever it is in session.
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Having said that, I think that regardless of the size of the VGMA and the place it occupies on the Ghanaian events and entertainment scene, it occupies too much of our time. By “our” I mean the media and people in entertainment.
Whenever the VGMA season is announced, it is as though nothing happens in this country anymore, even more so in years that are classified as “controversial” years. In such cases, the ante is upped and is VGMA morning, noon and evening.
Last two weeks, when I wrote a piece for Graphic Online that was widely circulated, I had calls from not less than 10 radio stations across the country wanting to have me speak about what I had written on their shows discussing, you guessed r
If the station is more inclined towards entertainment, the more likely you hear issues related to VGMA irrespective of the time.
Since the opening of the nominations almost a month ago, I could swear each of the times that I had tuned in to some of the entertainment shows and stations an aspect of VGMA is being discussed.
For example, on Entertainment Review on Peace FM, it has been a recurrent issue besides the Amakye Dede and Isaac Yeboah’s unfortunate accident. There has not been one day that I have tuned in to Hitz FM that there has not been anything to say about VGMA.
Similarly, there has not been once that I had tuned in to Pluzz FM’s showbiz morning show, AM Pluzz that I have not heard something about VGMA being discussed among others.
The newspapers are not left out of this melee. Especially those that focus on entertainment or have pages that write about entertainment find themselves writing stories from different angles and scenarios, so long as the VGMA is in season.
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On television, the major entertainment shows cannot be left out of the siege mentality of the VGMA. For example, the shows on which I appear Pundits on GhOne and White Carpet on Joy News on Multi TV have spent a good part of the last four episodes talking about one aspect of the VGMA or another.
In previous years, I had had course to tell producers that if it is VGMA we are going to discuss again, I won’t be part.
The issue is no different on the major, minor and even unknown blogs on the Internet. There is a constant discussion, opinion, analysis and everything else there ought to be done about the VGMA on daily, hourly and all other basis from when nominations are opened till a few weeks after the event has taken place. These days social media is not left out too as people post, tweet and comment about one VGMA issue or another. That’s like six months of obsession with one event!
For the organisers of the Ghana Music Awards, I am inclined to think this obsession is good for them as it places the brand in the minds of the people for a long time. No amount of money any sponsor pays can get you that mileage the awards gets. Similarly, the sponsors who associate with it get collateral response that is aimed at the awards.
If only all the discussions that the VGMA go through on radio, TV, print television and on the internet would be positive and people will not make claims they cannot defend or have no knowledge about then I am sure Charterhouse will be happier than they are with the earned media that the event earns.
They are forced to make statements to correct other statements that have been made that may not be correct or statements made about their sponsors which could be injurious to their brand and therefore has potential of a pullout by the sponsor. The fact is that you cannot eat your cake and have it, if you buy a dog you’ve bought its barking as well.
My issue and for which reason I am writing this piece however is this, don’t people get tired with VGMA matters? Can’t producers of shows be a bit more creative and find other topics to talk about even when VGMA is in session? Why should viewers and listeners be bombarded so much with VGMA matters? Don’t they consider the fact that their audience could get fatigued?
This issue seems to be the same as when radio stations are preparing to host an event and the publicity they give it. From morning till evening you will hear tons and tons of messages in the form of LPMs, jingles, quizzes, mentions and pretty much anything that would keep the event in the minds of the public.
The biggest culprits here are Joy FM and Citi FM. I always wonder if they stop to listen and ask what the listeners feel when they are tortured through incessant bombardment with so much information about one event!
In previous years the angles of the discussion of VGMA issues could be anything from who will be nominated and for which category, why was this person nominated in this category and not the other one and who is performing and who is not.
However, over the last three years it has been Shatta Wale and whether he will win or not, why he said he should not be nominated and whether or not he will be nominated respectively. The latter has been the wind that is flying the VGMA kite this time round.
I may be in the minority, but I think radio and TV producers and their presenters as well as newspaper journalists and editors who run entertainment papers should be a bit more creative and get other topics to talk about and stop the fixation on VGMA. Think about the audience too and look at things from their perspective. Talking about which, why am I also writing about it? Well we are in the VGMA season, no?
@TheGHMediaGuru
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