Hamptons, media kiss and make up
Thalefang Charles | Thursday March 30, 2017 18:00
On the lush green lawns of Bojanala Waterfront near Gaborone Dam, the Hamptons Jazz Festival promoters hosted the lifestyle journalists on a charm offensive veiled as a “press conference” aimed at apologising for the 2016 ugly spat that led to the festival media blackout.
The Hamptons-media fallout emanated from a Facebook post where one of the organisers put out a statement saying, “Not all media will be allowed in the VIP.
Last year we had a situation where the VIPs couldn’t get food because food was finished and we had not catered for journalists. This time around they will have their own tent with their own food,” (sic).
The post rubbed the media in a wrong way and the Botswana Media Allied Workers Union (BOMAWU) called it “disrespectful and demeaning to our profession” and declared a total blackout of the festival. The Hamptons’ preceding attempts to ‘apologise’ were just disastrous and reached a new low with ‘reka lapa’ hash tag. The media blackout, led by the journalists’ union continued until this week.
On Tuesday, promoters Debbie Smith and Starr Ngwenya, after their extensive behind the scenes lobbying and pleading with BOMAWU, treated the lifestyle media to an appeasement luncheon to kiss and make up.
Twenty-five minutes of the appeasement press conference programme was reserved for an “Apology to media houses” and they cried out their regrets. Although it initially came with some hidden reservations, on further questioning the nurses’ duo who turned festival promoters, later apologised without any reservations.
The big announcement was the date of the next festival, which will for the first time be a two-day event slated for March 4-5, 2018. The venue of the festival has not yet been announced.
The promoters then teased the media by name-dropping the big acts that they are negotiating to bring to their next festival. The line-up striptease had global stars like the soul songstresses Sade, Jill Scott, Tracy Chapman, Lionel Richie and legendary reggae band UB40.
The Hamptons promoters did not confirm any international act but they revealed that one of the artists on their wish list has already agreed in principle and they are waiting to put it formal with a contract.
The promoters also announced their partnership with international broadcaster CNN. Although they were not clear about the partnership Smith said, “We feel that we cannot bring CNN here before we made peace with the local media.”
Smith said they intend to use the festival to promote Botswana and draw music tourists to Botswana. She however said the live festival organisation is still very difficult in Botswana saying, “most of the times the partners that work with lights, stage and other festival components that makes a festival successful are not up to par.”
The press conference then turned into a “chill-session” similar to Sunday lifestyle events that are normally hosted at Bojanala Waterfront. The organisers went all out to impress.
Everything was meant to appease and warm the hearts of the scribes that vowed to never say a thing about the festival if the organisers do not expressly apologise.
The organisers had set-up gorgeous white couches on the green lawn, pitched gazebos to provide shade, brought lots of food and cold drinks to the delight of the members of the press.
Most journalists, including the BOMAWU interim executive committee members led by its president Phillimon Mmeso who brokered the deal to end the blackout, forgot about their pressing deadlines and stayed out long at Bojanala Waterfront to enjoy the treats from the Hamptons organisers.
After kissing and making up, they both toasted to their new love with a cold premium Moet and kicked it off on the lawn until the evening.