Newsboyphil Reporting from Kingston, Jamaica

Go BLACK stars

Ghana take on Brazil on Tuesday at 11am live from Dortmond, Germany in world cup football action. The Ghanians are in their first world cup final and have played well,  defeating the Czech republic 2-0 and  USA 2-1 in the first round. Ghana is the only African team in the knock out round of 16. The Black Stars Mid fielder Michael Essien will not be able to play in the game due to suspension. Ronaldinho and the boyz from South America will start this game as heavy favorites but if Ghana find their rhythm and play to form the result could be an African surprise!

 Kiss the girl

Barbados superstar Rihanna is having a great time on stage. She will next month perform at Reggae Sumfest, In Montego Bay Jamaica. The recording artist have simply been awesome this year, with appearances in St Lucia,  Japan, and major US cities. Her 2005 debut album "Music of the sun" showed raw talent. Her vocals have been developed to much more appreciated levels in 2006 "A girl like me" her second project  has been the toast of the females this spring. Rihanna was nominated for BET's best new artist for 2006, she later hosted the MTV awards pre-show. Her music video have been in heavy roatation on BET. Rihanna will appear in the new movie Bring It On: All or Nothing being released later this summer.

"Culture Shock"

"I grew up so much this past year. I had no choice. To pursue my dreams, and with their support, I left my entire family in Barbados to move to the States. It was a little scary to have no friends or family and all of a sudden step into a recording studio," recalled Rihanna.

"2005 taught me the dedication and responsibility it takes to make this dream a reality. Waking up at 5:00 am to start rehearsals, the training, the schoolwork, interviews, video shoots, going all day; it always seemed glamorous but it is real work. My love for music and singing will never change but the rose colored glasses are no longer so rosy."

"Many times over the past year, I didn't have anyone my age with me. When recording this album, I wanted it to seem like I was having a personal conversation with girls my age," says the eighteen-year-old singer. "People think, because we're young, we aren't complex, but that's not true. We deal with life and love and broken hearts in the same way a woman a few years older might. My goal on A Girl Like Me was to find songs that express the many things young women want to say, but might not know how."

Rihanna will be on stage at the summit , Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest http://www.reggaesumfest.com/on Saturday July 22nd.

Quotes from Rihanna's website.

 Police reporting success in 2006

Jamaica's murders climbed to over 600 last week. According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Leslie Green, this figure is 157 less than the same period last year.

National police statistic reveal that last month murders continued their downward trend dropping 26 per cent over the same period last year. Thus a total of 126 murders were committed, representing the fourth month of decline since the start of the year, with April being the only exception when 130 murders were recorded compared to 128 for the same month in 2005.

The police data for May also showed that 117 shootings were committed, a 21 per cent drop over the same month last year.In Eastern Kingston, police are reporting that their 90 day crime reduction action plan has led to a 62 % decline in Murders. Minister of National Security Peter Phillips have noted that crime levels remain High, despite a 21 % reduction in Crime since the start of the year. Last Month a police sergeant was ambushed and shot to death in Ensom City, a residential neighbourhood in the Island's Murder Capital Spanish Town, St Catherine, becoming the sixth cop to die this year.

Last year, 13 police officers were murdered.

Trends in Media 

Media jobs are hard to come by in this age of creative freedom. The Internet and independent coverage as well as the ability for individuals to order their own personalised media is important. A lot of youths are involved in the creation of reality type programming and so totally produced entertainment is at a loss. Its summer and where media intern jobs were once available you wonder where have they all gone. From New york , Miami, London, Kingston  good media talent  I am told is  hard to come by. Media scouts say new media has exploded and the recruiting agencies are looking for persons who are more involved with media design and online media production. Traditional forms such as radio and television have seen less growth and is on the decline in most areas. Infact the record industry which is the thrust behind radio's ability to reinvent itself is struggling to get its sales going. Event marketing and promotions is a better deal. As you talk bout that Reggae Sumfest comes up  in weeks, Barbados Rihanna, 50 cents, Beenie Man, Sizzla  all set for the Vibes city Montego Bay Jamaica. You check that against the return of Reggae Sunsplash and Jamaica has continued in 2006 to market events in a very highly professional and infectious manner.

So what of local media, the resale of local radio and television stations along with the expansion of cable television and launch of the new public broadcast system at the former JBC half way tree, is something that media professionals are speaking of, but, there is little development in the creative offering and the future of media in Jamaican look somewhat dull. Could local production cost be a factor? Local soap Royal Palm Estate and Rising Star Talent competition continue to be the toast of the best being offered on TV. You get the impression that fashion and music have its place even on segments of the morning and week end programmes ,but, how well are they being celebrated. The Caribbean Institute of Media and Communications is upbeat about its summer programme. Classes in Radio production, Video production, among other media design courses. Also Creative Production Training Centre continues its courses in Sound recording, photography, and Voice and Speech.

The World cup is on and if is one thing that can save media coverage is good sports coverage. From football, NBA basketball , Wrestling and Boxing. Sporting fans go to great lengths to listen up to analytical commentary and pre game report/forecast.  It is true that sports such as Track and field  are seeing a decline in following , but, even cricket coverage has shown a comeback. The Cricket World Cup coverage in 2007 is expected to be top class and with Powell and Gatlin challenging each other for the fastest man in the world title track and field media coverage isn't totally dead. Speaking of dieing, there is talk that even in film its hard to come across great movies these days.  Movie theatres and cinema are experiencing low audience turn out. If for anything else the audience is shuffling the deck and making the media industry know who is its boss.

 Soca Warriors  in World Cup Action

Respect due, Trinidad and Tobago, the twin-island Caribbean republic with a population of over 1.3 million is the smallest country ever to reach the World Cup.