“People love to see their friends and family and countrymen on display, and we’ve provided that in a bigger, better way...”
If you thought Digicel Rising Stars existed only in Jamaica... you’d be wrong. In fact, Jamaica’s most popular television show and talent contest has counterparts in Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean.
“We’re in our sixth year in Jamaica, in the Eastern Caribbean we’re in our fifth year, in Trinidad and Tobago it’s the fourth year and we’re entering our third year in Haiti,” said Mike Hogan, Digicel Rising Stars Creator and Executive Producer.
Hogan says that it’s not difficult to market a show like Digicel Rising Stars: “because people the show and every market we go into, we’re always travelling on the back of the Digicel brand. By the time we arrive, the people in the country have already been used to the bigger and better things that Digicel provide. Better communication, better features, reduced costs on phones, and so it’s not really hard for us to make it popular”
Hogan continued: “Digicel Rising Stars in Jamaica has been especially great. But it’s a very expensive show to produce, and we have to give thanks to people like Digicel, Pepsi, KFC and NCB, because without them, we wouldn’t be able to produce the show”. The truth is the show has its challenges, but it’s great fun.” said Hogan.
Logistically, Hogan says Digicel Rising Stars in Haiti, Barbados & the Eastern Caribbean are harder to produce. In Haiti, where the infrastructure is not as developed as Jamaica’s, It can take up to 14 hours to drive 130 miles; which in Jamaica would be from Kingston to Montego Bay.
While in Barbados & the Eastern Caribbean, entrants hail from Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, St Kitts and Nevis. Due to the fact that these countries don’t have large populations to justify having their own Digicel Rising Stars competition, the countries themselves become the audition sites.
Series Producer for Digicel Rising Stars in the Caribbean,Chris Cooke-Johnson believes that Digicel Risings Stars brings to the fore the people of the region, and gives exposure to their talents that would not have otherwise been possible. He states: “Particularly in the Eastern Caribbean, it's great to see that people vote for talent, ability and personality much more than by country of origin”.
“We've been able to replicate the same production standards and values throughout all series, even in more challenging locations like Haiti. I personally believe that people prefer to watch good quality, entertaining local or regional programming above all else, and that is what Digicel Rising Stars delivers” - Series Producer for Digicel Rising Stars in the Caribbean,Chris Cooke-Johnson.
Mike Hogan also believes that the show is important in these regions and says that producing every Digicel Rising Stars is an exciting feat. “People love to see their friends, family and countrymen on display, and we’ve provided that in a bigger, better way. That’s what makes Digicel Rising Stars such a phenomenon”
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