Thursday, March 28, 2024

When the art critic misses out on the final applause: Opinion from afar

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The Author: Elorm Mawuli Kwawu

Go on and project the market angle of the Shatta-Arnold kick up. Good for Shatta, keeps the optics on him and gets the eye balls for UTV. His disruptive creativity approach works better than any strategy in a news-starved industry which has trans-placed the arts for music, and music, for the arts.

In a space filled with repetitive entertainment news, because there’s actually no entertainment, the likes of Shatta become news makers, week-in, week-out. He understands the starvation and feeds fat on it. Always.

Two nights ago on UTV, he gave another good showing, got all the attention. The audience reception on Saturday night is good for UTV, it will rake in the commercials.

But there is something else, which many have glossed over, and is oft said, in the chills of the quiet.

Arnold, by far, exudes a deeper level of understanding of the creative space (music). He is better than many of his peers. He has a rich volume of knowledge on what happens in other music domains, his parallels are accurate, his observations, precise. He commands a good consciousness of his space and he doesn’t bore any listener. He makes a good panel. All these attributes don’t come easy. It takes years of consistency, practice, desk research to put all these pieces of data together to make sense. I respect his depth in the arts.

Then….

He sits on national TV every Saturday night and educate the nation. For how much? This is how the media in this country exploits the talent, skill and labour of persons without a corresponding value to their Labour, regards the viewership, and quality they bring to programmes. Without Arnold on that show, it is just like the other shows, Stale. He brings the difference, so much difference. He is the difference, reason why he’s the regular panelist.

How is he remunerated?…

Most of these guys are not paid. They are just given T and T, are not respected, and are seen as low-lives who sit on TV. Our musicians know these arrangements. They know most of our pundits are poor and not well-paid. Their part of the Labour in the creative chain is not rewarded, they are treated as beggars, but these people make the show! How easy does it get or to sit up all night, bring all that knowledge to bear, and the host, clueless, cannot even respect him and rebuke Shatta for overstepping his tracks? The panelists are not respected. These things are latent. Observe! A lot of hosts feel they are better than the panelists they bring, so a ‘top tier’ musician can throw invectives and walk on, the host looks on sheepishly!

Hosts, together with these musicians and thespians disrespect, mock, and make mincemeat out of panelists.

Panelists should monetize their knowledge. Analysts must stop the yearn for sitting on TV, and sieve the urge of listening to themselves on radio. They must insist, to be paid well, for sharing their knowledge, knowledge that becomes content for these media houses. Without these analysts, there are no shows!

Elorm Mawuli Kwawu – Co-Host of Statecraft on Zylofon102.1 FM
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