On Monday on my radio programme, I spent the first 45 minutes discussing the new law allowing personal property to be used as security for loans, which, it is hoped, will help small businesses. We had a 6-minute international segment on Syria, then spent about 12 minutes talking about crime in St. James. That was followed – one hour into the programme – by a 9-minute interview with Michael Cuffe, Tessanne’s husband, who is in L.A. for the finals of the US talent show, The Voice, in which Tessanne Chin is competing. My half hour Hot Topic segment – after 7 o’ clock, was spent talking about the songs for the night’s competition.
One listener said she supported Tessanne but wished I had spent more time on crime in St. James. Another listener texted me a sad story about his niece who had been recently murdered and said that the story about Tessanne is a distraction from Jamaica’s real problems.
Yes, there were only two comments. I got many others congratulating Tessanne. So why mention them at all? In the first place, all views should contend, and I shared both comments on air. Secondly, they raise the question again of “What is News?” As a result, they represent a frequently expressed view, whenever I focus on something that is not “hard news,” that I am wasting time talking about whatever it is when we have serious issues to talk about.
Yes, we do. And we do talk about those serious issues. I have been doing talk radio for 17 years, and we talk, and talk and talk about the troika of news in Jamaica – politics-crime-economy. I have spent countless hours looking at those issues from every angle known to man. I have also discussed many other issues – education, the environment, children’s rights, issues affecting the disabled community, for example.
What is news? All those issues should, and do, make the news. But the story of Tessanne Chin is also news. I spoke in this post about why an item about model/beauty queen/celebrity Yendi was news. Tessanne’s story is MUCH bigger than that story about Yendi.
A story like Tessane Chin’s is rare. A human interest story that has captured the interest
of all of Jamaica and the diaspora. A story of a talented, hardworking, humble Jamaican whose “Jamaicanness” shines through her every word and action. A Jamaican on the international scene who allows us to hold our head high. Someone we are rooting for all the way. It’s a story that gives us a little respite for a few short hours, from the hardships of what it means to live in Jamaica.
And from a journalism point of view, it is a human interest story that also ticks all the other boxes of what makes news – proximity, impact, relevance, timeliness, conflict, unusualness, prominence.
And for bigging up this story, as a journalist, I make no apologies. Would that we had more of them.
NB see my other posts on Tessanne: Why the Sudden Love for Tessanne, and Ten Reasons We’re All Rooting For Tessanne Chin.
News and Views by Dionne Jackson Miller 
December 17, 2013 at 8:42 am
So we should ignore this gift from God in our midst. If we dont lift up our heads from the problems and mire once in a while whats the point in living. Time to get a life, people!
December 17, 2013 at 8:46 am
I can understand the pain of that man who has lost a niece because that is the most important thing happening in his life as he deals with all the emotions that comes with a tragic death but I concur, we have a gem in Tessanne, a story of humility, coupled with excellence, and truly Jamaican to boot. You manage a delicate balance, Dionne, and while you may not always get it right, you rarely get it wrong!
December 17, 2013 at 8:47 am
I totally agree with you Dionne, it can’t always be about the issues we face as a country and not see what other positive things are there for us to focus on. We have to strike a balance and Tessanne’s story is news.
December 17, 2013 at 9:04 am
Dear Journalist of the Year: Your programmes are balanced. In news…timing is everything…and this is: Tessanne’s Time! We all need “someone” or “something” to rally around, from time to time. And, Jamaicans at home or in the Diaspora are good at “rallying.” One simply needs to find the “right person” or “thing.” Looking forward to the win.
December 17, 2013 at 9:39 am
Dionne, timing is everything and as Carmen says “It’s Tessanne’s time.” This season of The Voice has had the most viewers in its 5-year history – I would add because of the Tessanne factor – 13.2 million viewers on the night she did ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ – each week it is an anticipation by the world on what she will sing. Tessanne is news – make no apologies for that.
December 17, 2013 at 10:13 am
What many listeners/viewers/readers don’t get about news is that journalists face two issues – matters of public interest and matters about what the public is interested in. You dealt with matters dealing with the public interest but was not blind to what the public is/was interested in and decided to focus on that as well. For all its faults, mainstream media is finally copying tabloids and offering what the public is interested in as well as what’s in the public’s interest. Research has repeatedly shown that what the public is interested in, trumps matters of public interest every time. It is time the mainstream media starts telling people this as well because some of us take ourselves too seriously. Tessanne is what the public is interested in at present and as you rightly say, it is also a human interest story. Hats off for choosing to focus on the lighter side of news.
December 17, 2013 at 10:25 am
There is nothing wrong with focusing on an individual Jamaican doing very well somewhere else other than Jamaica. The problem is the hyperbole surrounding that celebration, the idea that it elevates Jamaica and Jamaicans. The truth is that it helps an individual realize a dream, while the distraction makes Jamaicans feel nice, but when all is said and done, the severely negative issues that affect the everyday lives of Jamaicans still remain. As Jamaicans celebrate Tessanne (they should), they are completely ignoring the 100th Anniversary of the US Federal Reserve, an organization that has had more impact on their lives (some good, mostly bad) than they will ever comprehend. They will also ignore the impact of the Fed’s QE program and how if it tapers, it will harshly affect the cost of bread and other commodities they consume, with the continued drop in value of the JA$. That is considering that it has already negatively affected the cost of those commodities with its QE program and secret loan programs.
I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer or Party Pooper, but you and other Jamaicans know that things are terribly wrong, fundamentally, and that it is not getting better, rather, it is getting much worse. What Jamaicans don’t yet have is the map to chart a new course. Until Jamaicans know why Jamaica is trapped in a downward spiral, they will continue to do the same things and trust the same people who got them there. Watch another generation fall by the wayside with current policy wrapped in new “initiatives” (Logistics Hub/MDIP/China as the new “Sugar Daddy”) that seek to mask the fact that the hand of the GOJ is outstretched to the max, begging. Don’t be misled, policies to engender earning are NOT being implemented.
Celebrate Tessanne Chin, she is talented. Just keep it in proper perspective.
December 17, 2013 at 10:29 am
We hear so much despair on the news every single day. I always ask is there no good news in our country. My mother was killed and it didn’t make the news like Tessanne but I still celebrate with others in her achievement. I will not allow the bad Jamaicans to take away the little joy that comes along rarely that makes our country shine.
December 17, 2013 at 11:11 am
As a regular listener of your programme, I have to concur with the above comments. The crime and violence in Jamaica on a whole (and I work in St. James every weekday) is frightening and MUST get the attention of all of us in order to seek out and find a way to stem the bloodletting. If you had done a recap of something great that happened prior (say Bolt’s Olympic exploits) I would be mad too but I understand the timeliness and public interest impact of Tessanne NOW and that is only the basics of journalism. Can’t fight you on that. Condolence to that gentleman tho….
December 17, 2013 at 11:25 am
Would that we could immediately identify the next person or “thing”, Miss Tips!
December 17, 2013 at 7:58 pm
Earl M: Between your Sunday Show…DJM’s Blogs…and my New Year’s resolutions, we could probably find the next positive “person” or “subject” to rally local and international interest around! It does not have to be music, but clearly it should resonate. In addition, DJM could probably take suggestions from her readers! Tips.
December 17, 2013 at 11:29 am
I see nothing wrong with using a portion of the time to highlight Tessanne. We have to have a balance. Jamaica has always had a negative light been shun through out the world and when we have something wonderful to endorse lets do so with pride. We see and no the ills tha our country faces but lets also highlight some of our good. Is great therapy for us.
December 17, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Dionne, you made the points well. I am tired of the litany of dispair that passes for news (not just in Jamaica). I’m in Miami for a few days, as I write, and I’ve constantly turned off the US TV news as it tells me about another siege, murder, fire, abduction, etc. or the latest in political developments that are so abstruse as to defy even my interest as an economist. The Caribbean people around me (government and international organization officials, mainly) have been binded together by the ‘good news story’ coming out of Jamaica, which has focused them on what potential we and they have. We all cheer for a Tessanne win, because it will help all of the region, if we are honest. People should not make a distinction between ‘news’ and ‘human interest’–they are not opposites. We have perhaps lost interest in too many of the humans in the region, and therein lies a tale.
We also need to realize how we can leverage our talents so much better if we can get them exposed and popularized and enlarged by the world (or at least a larger audience) seeing and appreciating them. That is why Usain and Shelly-Anne are great–not because they ran fast in national trials, but because they succeeded on the biggest stage. That’s what our musical successes have done, from Millie, Desmond Dekker, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Buju, Sean Paul, Vybz Kartel, and on. They showcased what we are and what we can be.
When we talk about investment opportunities, we need to realize that the tired cliché that ‘people are the biggest resource’ only has meaning if we find, use and renew that resource.
I’m realy sorry for the pain and suffering of all those who lose and have lost loved ones through murder or other tragedy. But, I want to see and hear more of the successes that Jamaicans can be or are. That is what will inspire each and everyone of us to be better and do more and not be content to stay just where we are.
December 17, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Amen my sister………couldn’t have said it better myself!!
December 17, 2013 at 12:59 pm
I have no objection to Ms. Miller spotlighting the story. It is a story of perseverance, talent, and dignity. What I lament is the apathy concerning issues of more “proximate, impact, and relevance.” People that haven’t gotten wrapped up in the transnational obsession with Ms. Chin’s rise might share my observation of an over-the-top passion for all things sweet (i.e. entertainment/sports). This is not an indictment on Ms. Chin’s loyal fan base, but rather a condemnation of the human condition that pulls us towards the sweet and away from the “not-sweet, but necessary.” Last week we celebrated the life of Mandela – a man who’s own life was flavoured by the “not-sweet, but necessary” to transform his world and ours. What messages do we send our kids when our passion for artists/athletes trumps our passion for fixing correctable injustices that abound in our homeland and beyond? Yes, I will be cheering for Tessanne tonight, but tomorrow, I hope that many of us will join Team “not-sweet, but necessary” to help shape a better world.
#team-not-so-sweet
December 17, 2013 at 1:53 pm
As a matter of fact, I pray for a day stories like Tessanne’s would become the most relevant news in our country. We need hope, we need positive examples to focus on and causes that make Jamaican’s see what range of opportunities are available for even a small nation like we are. We know of our ills and of the grave situation our country is in, but daily hearing of that kind of news has clouded the vision of our people and has too many believing in doom and gloom and not enough daring to live and dream big. Even with what we have, we have an abundance of talent amongst us that could take us far, if we had more examples that showed us how.
Thank you for making sure Tessanne’s victories are seen as very relevant news.
December 17, 2013 at 2:09 pm
There will always be pain and suffering. There will only be one Tessanne Chin and one time that she triumphs in The Voice competition. You are doing a service to bring her gift and talent out for the world to see and hear. May her voice bring a little comfort to everyone who suffers.
December 17, 2013 at 2:13 pm
I was listening to the program when you read the text from the man who lost his niece. Firstly I was taken aback by the tone of the text, which to me implied that you Dionne were being crass in expecting persons to focus on the achievements Tessanne has made on some ‘silly’ competition, when he like others are suffering.
He isn’t the only one who has suffered and is suffering. Many Jamaicans like myself suffer every day from some loss or tragedy…every single day. What makes Tessanne’s story so great is that its a story of hope, perseverance in the face of adversity…she too has suffered a great deal and probably more than anyone of us will ever know…but yet still she is standing tall like a champion, she is demonstrating to all of us that inspite of the hurt, the heartaches, the pain you can rise again and soar to greater heights. That’s what her story means to us as Jamaican. As a nation we need that feel good, symbol of hope to help us get through these trying times.
Hurt people,
December 17, 2013 at 2:38 pm
(cont’d) Hurt people, hurt people and that text in my mind was like shoot the bearer of great feel good news cuz he’s
hurting and tragedy and grief trumps all else.
I am truly sorry for his loss but he isn’t the only one who is suffering…time heals all wounds and you’ve always been fair in your discussions and analyses and have had exhaustive discussions on the plight of our people. A ten minute segment on Tessanne can never take away from that and is something we will have to deal with for a while yet.
While tear out our hair in despair over our problems…Tessanne’s well earned, well deserved accomplishments is a sweet, refreshing balm in gilead for the heart and soul of us as Jamaicans and I for one welcome the distraction and look forward to listening to you later this evening (i’ll be on @marshareeoffic sharing my own views from the discussion and cheering for Tessanne all the way through her name being called as the winner of ‘The Voice’)
December 18, 2013 at 12:09 pm
Tessanne Chin’s participation and eventual win in “The Voice” is definitely not headline news, but it is definitely news worthy. You were merely following the title of your radio programme: Chin is “beyond the headlines!” 🙂