Could an Ousted Crime Show Host Be a Symptom of a Bigger Problem in Trinidad & Tobago? · Global Voices
A screen grab of the opening segment of a ‘Crime Watch’ episode posted on YouTube, hosted by <PERSON>.
Crime is a hot topic in Trinidad and Tobago, and <PERSON>, self-appointed champion of the people as the star of ‘Crime Watch’ — one of the country's most watched “crimefighting” shows — is arguably even hotter. His popularity has not waned, despite controversies like his decision to broadcast footage that showed the rape of a minor or his arrest earlier this year on the grounds of obscene language and resisting arrest (albeit at the hands of a police inspector, <PERSON>, who hosts a rival crime show, ‘Beyond the Tape’).
At the start of September 2016, CNC 3, the network that aired ‘Crime Watch’ and which had run a news story about <PERSON>'s arrest (conveniently editing out the expletives he had used against the police officer in question), announced that it was dropping the show. This was not the first time for <PERSON>; his contracts with two other networks had also been terminated.
The blogger <PERSON> at snarky news site Wired868 was immediately on the ball, explaining that the media house decided to part ways with <PERSON> after he did “a so-called exclusive investigative report on construction work at the Brian Lara Stadium”, which prompted legal action — against both the show and CNC3 — from state developer Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), which worked on the stadium's construction.
The post feigned surprise at <PERSON>'s “irresponsible claims against the government”, reminding readers that the TV host had previously contested an electoral seat for one of the parties that is now in opposition. (Prior to that, in 2002, <PERSON> had unsuccessfully run for the Chaguanas seat for the party that is now in government.)
Although the cancellation of the show on CNC3 has netizens talking more than ever about its controversial host, the discussion has also begun to encompass wider issues — including the country's rising crime rate, the socio-economic gap between those with means and the dispossessed, the lack of public trust in the police and the judiciary, and the media's culpability in sesnsationalising violent crime — all of which have created a climate for this type of programme to thrive.
Meanwhile, <PERSON> himself was busy extending olive branches and doing damage control on his Facebook page, posting a video announcing that he was building his own studio and asking fans to support the show by sending in monetary donations. The post's comments thread was filled with messages of admiration and support; fans were clearly looking forward to the return of the show, although <PERSON> did not specify on which platform it would be available for viewing.
Facebook user <PERSON>, however, said of the whole debacle:
Like all talk shows Crime Watch serviced a select group of people who found <PERSON> to be interesting, amusing and effective. No one can be faulted for their taste in entertainment or otherwise. 957
Where <PERSON> went wrong is in miscalculating the value of his support and as we say here in Trinidad, taking basket from social media animals whose only worth to him is stoking the fire against his employers, a battle he was bound to lose. After being fired three times will he learn? Not if he keeps doing the same thing and expects different results. I genuinely wish him well.
Another netizen, <PERSON>, was of the opinion that <PERSON>'s wavering political loyalties finally caught up with him, but what caught the attention of many others was the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago's (MATT) statement about the discontinuation of the show on the CNC3 network:
While some viewed Crime Watch as sensational reality TV, the show also served a significant public interest. Many viewers relied on it as a window into communities that are relentlessly besieged by inadequate social services and a wide range of crimes, most of which are ignored by the traditional media. The programme on one hand bordered on exploitation of vulnerabilities while on the other hand it offered visibility and voice to citizens who were otherwise unable to access formal and timely redress through law enforcement and the judiciary. […]
MATT hopes that should there be a fourth incarnation of Crime Watch, its best elements that serve the public interest could be reinforced and its weaknesses addressed by consistent and meaningful investment in journalistic best practice.
MATT also rejected accusations that its statement was in any way compromised because its president works at CNC3 on a freelance basis. 906