Ministry wants to register artistes

Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter

Rating stage shows, a possibility

Junior ENTERTAINMENT Minister Damion Crawford has announced plans by his ministry to regulate the industry and establish an artistes' registry.

In his maiden Sectoral Debate contribution on Tuesday, Crawford noted that regulation would help the ministry to identify practitioners in the field.

"The reality is that, in order to effectively provide benefits or incentives to encourage entertainers, we need to know who they are, and who qualifies," he told members of the House.

Crawford stressed that regulation and the establishment of an artistes' registry would help facilitate the free movement of performing artistes across the world.

Commenting on the issue of sponsorship and private contribution from corporate entities to the entertainment industry, Crawford said efforts should be made to reduce the risk perceived by some entities in associating their brand with the sector.

Prescribing a remedy, Crawford said the staging of entertainment events should be rated. "In the same way a movie can be PG (Parental Guidance)-rated or X-rated, so can [we rate] entertainment events.

"The rating of entertainment events with adequate repercussions for violations would reduce the risk perceived by many corporate entities to associate their brand with live entertainment events," Crawford said.

According to him, ratings would help to shape the expectation of the audience and, by extension, the output of the artiste.