Sizzla wows the crowd at Friday night's launch of cable station Music Plus' 'link' with CVM TV at the Allied Cable company on Auburn Avenue off Washington Boulevard, St. Andrew, on Friday night. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer THE COMMUNITY cable channel Music Plus on Friday night officially launched its link with CVM TV at the Allied Cable company on Auburn Avenue off Washington Boulevard, St. Andrew.
The link will see Music Plus broadcasting on CVM for five hours between 12:00 am and 5:00 a.m. every night. The programmes will be mostly of a magazine format. Each programme is expected to last the maximum of an hour.
"It's a private operation and we do our best. The thing that sets Music Plus apart from the other channels is the quality of the programming," explained Deborah Hickling, who briefed the press about the work that goes into the production of Music Plus.
She explained that most of the production for Music Plus takes place on East Street, Kingston. However, there is studio at Allied Cablevision, the home of the community channel.
For the night of the launch, the viewers both on the premises and those watching the broadcast were treated to interviews with Sean Paul, Sizzla, TOK, Yogie and Jeremy Harding. The night was a busy one for the Music Plus crew.
From early on, work could be seen going into the production for the live link at midnight. At midnight, the channel went on air and an interview with Sean Paul could be seen. However, for most of the persons watching on the big screen on the outside of the venue, they could see but not hear.
PROGRAMME VARIETY
Aside from the programmes presented on Friday night, Music Plus will offer a variety of other programming. Included will be a four-minute programme, called 'Plus News', which will be hosted by Claudette Powell, a radio show host, and will offer the latest news in the entertainment industry. 'Outta Control', will be hosted by Odessa Chambers, a public relations consultant and will feature music videos and interviews with entertainment industry personalities. There is also 'Countdown', a one-hour programme which will tabulate the music videos of the week.
The channel will also feature historic and cultural places in Jamaica and in the Caribbean in a 30-minute programme called 'The Trod', which will be hosted by music video producer Ras Kassa. Also on the list is 'De Enz' which will feature older and more recent artistes.
Music Plus currently broadcasts on channel 33 on Allied Cablevision. In addition, it is shown on channel 82 on Telstar, 69 on Sauce, 54 on JACS, 24 on Coral Seas Cable in Negril and now on CVM. CVM is the only network to show the Music Plus islandwide.
Performances by Sizzla, TOK, Spragga Benz, Bling Dawg, Assassin, Red Rat and Zumjay closed off the night.
