Media issues, live-streaming at festival now ironed out — VIFFC

Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee (VIFFC), Dirk Walters, has disclosed that all issues previously had with the media about coverage of this year’s Emancipation festivities have been resolved.

In an eight-page document issued to the media previously, the VIFFC said it, among other things, prohibits any form of live streaming or video recording by the media for several of the events taking place during this year’s festivities, including the Miss British Virgin Islands Pageant.

However, while speaking on the Talking Points show yesterday, Walters shared that a meeting held with members of the press yesterday proved to be productive in resolving challenges that arose.

“We actually had a meeting with the press… and we ironed out all of this stuff because – just to put it out there, as I said, [I’m] not making any excuses whatsoever – we do not currently have an official secretary. The person that’s supposed to be fulfilling that role has not been doing it, but I won’t get into that part.”

Walters also disclosed that there is no official Public Relations Officer for the committee and explained that his background is in entertainment events and logistics and not media relations, per se.

He said external help was used by the VIFFC because of this, which led to a draft document only meant for discussion being unintentionally and prematurely shared with the media ahead of a planned meeting. According to Walters, the offending document was not meant to be seen as anything concrete.

Part of the agenda of the meeting, Walters explained, was to share the committee’s intention to do things a little differently. But Walters suggested that some form of resistance was expected since persons generally do not like change. He also said that the committee intends to have regular discussions with the media going forward to help to create better relations.

Walters also sought to dispel the notion that he was in charge of all the decision-making that takes place within the committee.

“There’s this big misconstrued idea that Dirk Walters decides everything and that’s not the case,” Walters explained. “It is a committee. And of course, you know myself as the Chair, if something comes to a vote, the only time I have a vote is if it’s a tie. That’s how boards work.”

Regarding the issue of live-streaming, Walters explained that there are considerations that have to be made in relation to intellectual property and ownership rights for some artistes. ”You might have to introduce blackouts and all of these things when they’re streaming,” he explained.

He also pointed out that some performers may have restrictions in their contracts that prohibit them from being able to have their content shared live.