The Review Article of Talk up Yout TV Show in the Jamaica Observer

The show for youth to TALK UP

Tuesday, May 10, 2011





GROUND-BREAKING local television programme Talk Up Yout recently rapped its first season on April 17, and TEENage sought to get reactions from producers Emprezz Mullings and Nadia Stanley on the success of the show.

TEENage: What has the response been to the show (from TEENs, parents and stakeholders)?



From left: Stanley & Empress Productions executives Nadia Stanley and Emprezz Mullings with Emma Charles, who hosted the launch night’s programme. (Photo: Observer File) 1/1 

Empress: Wow, I can't believe the response. Speaking at the schools and walking the streets and seeing inbox comments, our online counselling forms and phone calls. We know the youth are begging for this medium. We have started to open a can of worms and teachers, parents, youth are unanimous in the necessity for this informative programming.

TEENage: How do you feel after being a part of the Talk Up Yout movement?

Nadia Stanley (producer): I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish in the first season of Talk Up Yout. Youths, from all walks of life, have reached out to us to start the dialogue of improving the youth experience in Jamaica. Next season we will strive harder to capture the attention of more youths and parents in a creative way. I feel the production of the show, although top notch, can be slightly improved with dynamic music and incorporating interaction between viewers and the show. I look forward to making those changes in Season Two!

Empress: I never expected to get the response I did from the audiences. Since and during the season I have visited some high schools and the Women's Centre in Spanish town on my empowerment session for the youth and when I asked who had seen the show the response was 90 per cent of the adolescent population. The phone calls, e-mails and form subscriptions to the website also told us that young people are out there who want a positive community to address their issues. I am now 100 per cent more confident and convicted that the second season must continue to hear from the young people and continue to be an inspiration.

TEENage: What topic triggered the most reaction?

Empress: The issues of HIV/Sexually transmitted infections; albinism; sexual abuse; deafness/hearing impaired and blindness. All of them affected people differently. Other issues discussed on the show were: Child labour; youth stigmas; illiteracy; abandoned youth; TEEN pregnancy; bleaching; crime and violence and drug abuse

TEENage: What was your favourite topic of the season?

Empress: Wow, hard to say. But the sexual abuse show was dearest to my heart as we cover it up too much and we need to expose it more so we can eliminate it.

TEENage: What are your plans for next season?

Empress: The issue of cutting will definitely be exposed on next season's shows. Street kids and transactional sex-boys will also be exposed. We have confirmed the second season with our network partner TVJ and we are looking forward to preparing for the season. Stay tuned next season for all the new topics.

TEENage: Can people still participate in the Talk Up Yout movement, and how?

Empress: Of course. We are asking all people to help us get ready for the second season by protecting the youth and giving them the tools they need for survival. Listen to them and protect them. We are asking corporate Jamaica to come on board, join an abviously effective youth life-changing movement and show and follow the lead of National Baking Company and email us their interest by emailing [email protected]. Jamaican please leave comments on www.talkupyout.com (forum and blog pages) regarding the shows and let's build the online community to uplift the Nation's future leaders and population. Please we are asking for people to go onto our Facebook page (search TalkUpYoutTVShow) and start dialogue about youth issues and solutions. We beg our youth to start finding someone they can talk with and find a space of peace and fulfillent. We are begging all Jamaicans to report sexual abuse, get tested for sexually transmitted Infections, get literate, get knowledge, empower each other, build the nation, get creative, create industries, and protect our children.

TEENage: How has the website contributed to the movement?

Empress: We have posted jobs online for youth to check in on and asking people/companies with jobs available to send us their classifieds so we can post them FREE of CHARGE for young people to get access. The online counselling form has been effective and people are sending in their need for someone to talk to confidentially and help them through their abusive, depressive and suicidal situations. we have helped some of them through online mentorship and mediation. It is in its developing stage and with more corporate support we will launch in full speed next year 2012 for season two. For the donations page, Jamaicans locally and in the Diaspora are able to send in donations for specific needs of the Jamaican youth population.

Here are some of the comments, provided by Talk Up Yout, from its social media sites:



I love to see that there is someone out there talking about the issues that affect our Jamaican youths. I have a physical disability and growing up in Jamaica was so stressful. But now I understand that if people don't understand something they will not know how to react to that thing. I came to Canada and I am dedicating myself to advocate for people with any form of limitation, and hopefully by the grace of God I will be able to come back to Jamaica and motivate someone. Thank Emprezz and the production crew. Keep up the good wrk. One love and God bless!

Dear Stanley and Empress,



Although nursing the symptoms of the flu I had to get up at 11:00 pm to watch your programme on albinism. This topic is very dear to my heart as my beautiful daughter is albinistic so on seeing it mentioned in your advert the next thought that came to mind is when will this topic be discussed. I was, therefore, happy to be informed by my students yesterday that it was discussed (they were not aware of my interest in the topic). Apparently, the show inspired food for thought and so my first form students at Manning's School, Westmoreland where I teach wanted to talk up. Needless to say I was happy to share since, unknowing to them, my recent research for the completion of the Masters of Arts in Communication for Social and Behaviour Change at CARIMAC was on albinism among pre-adolescents and adolescents. This research is the first to be done on albinism in the Caribbean.

Ladies, it was difficult for me to get the students to return to the lesson at hand. I am extremely happy that your programme focused on albinism and encourage you to keep up the splendid work. Work like yours fosters the well=-needed development of our youth. You have made me exceedingly proud.

Yours sincerely,

Jenice Mckenzie-Mason

This show makes me happy because it elevated youths to speak about themselves in whatever way the situation they problem was/is and that's very good. I am happy Jamaica have this wonderful program TALK UP YOUT!!!

Children selling on the streets may seem like something reasonable for survival. But it can be seen from the re-enacted stories and from the interview that it is not okay and very risky for the safety and well being of the young person. So great to be enlightened. Thank you for the message. Empress you looked simply elegant.

I must say the historical thoughts are powerful.

Again, awsome!!! to present a whole show communicating to the hearing impaired. Not easy, but congratulations to Empress, her interpreter and the two beautiful guests, it was successful. I am a regular Internet viewer and I look forward to taking time out to view the shows on my weekends as I live in a different time zone and don't get the opportunity to view the show live. Love this show for the educational value.

BLEACHING



(sic) this is ma comm studies I.A topic so i really appreciate this episode!!!!! thank you guys and keep trodding the great path u r on!!!!!!!

SEXUAL ABUSE: i (sic) my name is shanice and i was abuse (sic).

Kemar Daswell

I am not easily impressed but new tv show TalkUpYout is indeed a great production, that seeks to uplift, educate and motivate our nation and its youth while finding solutions. Not many shows want the solution as much as they want the ratings. Congrats to Nadia Stanley and Emprezz



Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/teenage/The-show-for-youths-to-TALK-UP_8761168#ixzz1Q8Vr8CGG