Frederick Morton, Esq., SVP of MTV BALA’s Intellectual Property and Litigation Group, provides creative.reconstruction with a founder’s perspective on TEMPO: the Networks’ soon-to-be-launched Caribbean channel, as well as an insider’s outlook on “Caribbean-ness,” and a dreamer’s viewpoint on the utility of sleep deprivation.
CREATIVE.RECONSTRUCTION: At this point in time, what would you have us — the viewing public, the MTV community-at-large — know about the channel?
FREDERICK MORTON: Well … MTV Networks is launching a channel focused on Caribbean culture which, when it’s at full throttle, will explore all aspects of the richness of the culture: history, cuisine, music, sports, travel — all of those areas are to be explored.
It’s a “One Love” channel, premised on the fact that there’s such a thing as a Caribbean identity. Regardless of whether you’re from the Spanish-, English-, Dutch-, or French-speaking islands, the channel hopes to underscore the notion that we all are one. And that stems from the fact that we all share a colonial heritage: every country was a colony at some point — some still are (in some respects). The geographic migration of the people within the regions also reaffirms that fact. For instance, you could be in Nevis and hear Spanish, because there is a large Dominican population in Nevis. And similar dynamics exist in all the islands.
We plan to launch in October, and we’re looking to announce here in NYC at the end of May in conjunction with “Caribbean Week”: a week-long slate of activities put on by the Caribbean Tourism Organization.
In October, we launch in the Caribbean itself, along with wrap-around coverage of the Caribbean-American Day parade in Brooklyn: how the trucks get out, the political and economic influences of the event, etc. We’ll be launching on a “carnival theme,” which is fitting because every Caribbean country has one; it’s a phenomenon that unites the region.
In ’06 we plan to launch in the U.S, and then other markets — Latin American, Europe — soon thereafter.
So the channel seeks to popularize this notion of Caribbean “one-ness,” or reinforce it?
I would say primarily to reinforce it, because the reality is already there, but also to popularize it, because a lot of people don’t fully realize that fact. So there are elements of both. The Caribbean environment is one of multiplicity; Trinidad is probably the biggest melting pot ever. That’s what folks are used to in the Islands, but it’s good to encourage a remembrance of that.
Is the channel intended primarily for Caribbeans or for non-Caribbeans with an affinity for the region and its culture(s)?
The channel is intended for those who already consume Caribbean culture — naturally that includes Caribbeans. But we know that 40 million people visit the region every year consuming Caribbean culture and these are non-Caribbean people. This venture seeks to televise the product to people already consuming the product. We know it’s not only Caribbean people eating the food, or watching cricket, it’s Indian, Pakistani, British, etc.
The point we hope to make is that the Caribbean is part of the American cultural fabric — and that’s not a radical idea. If you consider the proximity of the Islands and the importance of the Islands’ economies to the early settlements, it just makes sense. But in doing the research you often find that Caribbean influences are so deeply entwined into American culture that you don’t even see it. …
We know that the Spanish Caribbean islands have exported baseball players. We know that the other islands have exported many track & field athletes, boxers, and entertainers. Many key figures of the civil rights era and the Harlem Renaissance — W.E.B. DuBois, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, James Weldon Johnson [writer of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the black national anthem], the novelist Claude McKay, just to name a few — were from the Caribbean. Hip-hop was founded on Caribbean beats and artists: DJ Kool Herc, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Red Alert — all key figures in the founding of hip-hop — are from the Caribbean. The list is practically endless.
Alexander Hamilton — one of the nation’s Founding Fathers — was actually born and spent his early childhood in Nevis. Of course the school textbooks don’t touch that sort of thing, but that’s a small sampling of the types of ideas and historical facts that the channel will seek to reveal.
Do you recall how the idea for the channel occurred to you? Was there a ‘eureka’ moment of sorts?
I think it was in me for a long time. When I came to the States in ’85 to attend college, I quickly became involved in the Caribbean affinity organization on my campus, and helped to spearhead many of the cultural initiatives — parties, concerts, etc. I went on to law school and continued to promote the culture. Later, with two friends, I opened a Caribbean nightclub—“Visions”— and continued to forge relations with many of the artists that will be featured on the channel. So the foundation was already there.
One of our charges as employees of the business — legal is part of the business — is to constantly think of ways to move the business. So in the course of my day-to-day responsibilities, I always try to consider new ways through which I can help move the business.
I figured “Well, I know about this thing. I know the demo. I know its commercial promise and power. So let me spread the word.” Some days later I started thinking about it. I did some research, lost sleep for about a week or so, banged out a prospectus and made a presentation to Tom [Freston, then CEO of MTV Networks] over lunch at Blue Fin. I still remember the day. Tom said that I had a viable idea, but I would have to sort of usher it through the organization to gain support. I didn’t really know what he meant at time. If I had I may not have done it [laughs]. But I subsequently learned. I spent two and a half years spreading the word to the key people in the company.
So it was a challenge to promote the channel idea inside the company. What kinds of challenges do you anticipate promoting it outside of the company?
I think that the core audience won’t prove to be that much of a challenge. I’ve travelled through the Caribbean introducing and promoting the idea to the various industries and they’re very receptive. There’s huge excitement for this vehicle. There were some initial concerns regarding exploitation, but the fact that I was the face of the channel, so to speak — somebody that was speaking the same language, and that was determined, or am determined, to export the culture in the respectful and dignified manner in which it deserves to be exported — helped to mitigate those concerns.
The culture has already made noise, but now there’s a larger, point-on media platform for the regions’ culture-based industries — music, the cuisine, the tourism — to grow and/or further solidify, to penetrate all those areas where the culture already has a presence.
Another point to understand is that you don’t have to be Caribbean to be “Caribbean.” It’s a joie de vivre; it’s a mentality — a state of mind — that transcends race, sexuality and all those labels. These notions are informing and inspiring the channel. We’re confident that it will inspire the viewership as well.
How would you answer the skeptics?
The channel will speak for itself; it’s already speaking for itself. I’m not creating anything; the reality is already there — the food market, the travel market, the music market, the cricket market. We’re just using the TV to help spread acknowledgement. We don’t have to really develop programming out of thin air; it’s all already happening. My answer to the skeptics is: “Just open your eyes and look around. You’ll see it.”
Considering your position here, and your proximity to the decision-makers in this company, would you view your success in launching the channel as being instructional or exceptional?
It has been difficult, no question. But it’s already been an incredibly rewarding and educational experience. I don’t think that it’s ever as easy as pitching an idea and getting the greenlight to realize it. Whatever idea you have, you must be ready to navigate the [corporate] culture with it; that’s what I’ve been doing for two years.
Of course, having already proven yourself doesn’t hurt. But at the end of the day, this channel is still outside my core competency — or at least what people think my core competency is. So you have that to overcome, but you overcome it on the strength of your vision and your willingness to do the work necessary to bring it to light.
I’ve “lawyered” this thing to fruition. And by that I mean: I can’t go to court and tell the judge “I think I’m right.” I have to go to court and tell the judge “I’m right because X, Y, Z….” And X, Y, Z is real substance that compels the judge to move in my direction. That’s what I had to do with this.
I’ve become a walking encyclopedia of all things related to the Caribbean — and there was tons to learn. I didn’t realize how vast this matter was, but I got to know it. And I got to know that the case was compelling — undeniably. The thing is what the thing is. But you have to present it. And even then, some people will refuse to see it. So then you have to find other ways to persuade that person. And if they still don’t see it, you go to the next person.
So you have to believe in the thing that you’re doing, you have to want to work and sacrifice some sleep; that’s often what’s required. And then you have to see it through. Because the ups and downs in this kind of thing are for real! Without that core driving passion, it’s all too easy to become discouraged.
An edited version of this article was originally published in the Fall 2005 edition of RUFUS — MTV Networks’ intra-organizational newsletter. [The image of Frederick Morton was taken from the official TEMPO website.]
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