VivirLatino

It seems that MTV just doesn’t slow down with its new niche market initiatives. MTV radio recently launched TRL Latino, and, in addition to the already succesful MTV Asia, they’ve recently launched new channels for first generation Asian and South Asian young adults. Is there a part of the globe they haven’t covered yet? The Caribbean perhaps?

Tempo, the new cable television network dedicated to Caribbean music and culture, has announced it will celebrate the channel’s November launch by hosting a series of concert events in various Caribbean markets. Jamaica will kick off the concert series (October 15 & 16), followed by events in Barbados (October 21), St. Maarten (October 25), St. Croix (October 27), Nevis (October 30) and Trinidad & Tobago (November 5).

What happened to Puerto Rico?

In an age where everything is hypercategorized, it’s interesting to see that Puerto Rico, a distinctly Caribbean island, was excluded from Tempo’s focus. And what about the Dominican Republic?

According to MTV:

The concert events will showcase the diversity of the Caribbean with over 80 artists from across the region and beyond, featuring all the different genres of music from the Islands including, Reggae, Dance Hall, Reggaeton, Soca, Pan, Quelbe, Calypso, etc.

Launching on November 21, 2005 across the Caribbean (and in the U.S. in 2006), Tempo targets all people with a passion for the Caribbean lifestyle. The channel provides a mix of original and acquired programming that is vibrant, relevant to its audience and true to the spirit of the Caribbean and its culture.

Yeah, not quite.

All of the musicians performing in this inaugural concert are from non-Spanish speaking Caribbean countries. Is Latino Carribean music destined to be lumped with the rest of the “Latin music” genres (which are, among themselves, each very unique) not as part of a Caribbean music initiative but as the big blob that is MTV Latino? If that’s the case, they should call it something other than Caribbean.

Via / Hispanic Business and HispanicTips