Most Bermudians would like to hear more local music played on Bermuda Broadcasting Company's radio stations, it was revealed at a forum last night.

But Bermuda's musicians were urged yesterday to adopt a more sophisticated approach to marketing and to form an organisation which would promote their interests.

The forum attracted about 30 people representing musicians, broadcasters and promoters of local entertainment and was organised by the Broadcast Commission to discuss whether broadcasters should be required by law to play a minimum amount of local music on the airwaves.

Broadcast Commission chairman Tim Marshall started off the forum by dedicating it to the late musician Hubert Smith, who died Monday of a heart attack.

Mr. Smith had had an “incredible career spanning 20 years”, Mr. Marshall said before asking for a moment's silence in observance. “He leaves behind a legacy and that's what this is about. We have to ensure his legacy, and perhaps your legacy, is preserved for all Bermudians to benefit the future.”

Bermuda Arts Council chairman Buddy Hill revealed that the Council was solidly behind local content regulations, while the Broadcast Commission which would enforce it is adopting a neutral stance.

He said that the idea was just one that came up when the ruling Progressive Labour Party asked the Arts Council to look for ideas that would “help enrich Bermuda artistically and culturally.”

A working draft of regulations that “could be used” has already been submitted for Cabinet perusal.

“The reason we're here, in my opinion, is that Government would like to do something for local musicians.”

Mr. Hill said arguments that Bermuda did not have the population base to support local content regulations were “irrelevant really” because Islanders listen to the radio a lot and there were more than 300,000 tourists to draw on annually.

He pointed to Canada's local content regulations which played a major role in the discovery of stars like Celine Dion and Bryan Adams.

A musician himself who produced “one of the first albums featuring all Bermudian musicians” in 1981, Mr. Hill argued that Bermuda's proactive support of local visual artists had seen standards rise because their work could be seen in a number of venues.

“What's happened in the music industry is the reverse,” he said. Radio exposure was critical because of a decline over the years of venues for local musicians, he added.

Complaints of low production quality from local musicians was also a red herring said Mr. Hill as technological advances meant that CDs can now be produced affordably and at good quality.

“The quality and inspiration is there. All we need is inspiration and a little something to give our younger artists incentive.”

Mr. Hill also said that there was plenty of locally produced material to choose from and he made it clear that the proposal would not force radio stations to air every local musician that showed up at their doorsteps.

He said five hours worth of Hubert Smith's music was played on Everest da Costa's radio show yesterday, surprising many who had no idea that he had such a body of work.

“When Hubert Smith died, people took material to Everest. Once there's good faith, material surfaces.”

He singled out VSB for doing its best to promote local musicians.

The Commissioners, and officials from the Telecommunications department, heard a variety of views on the topic as well as other concerns held by Island musicians.

Local dub poet Ras Mykall, who had handed in a written submission saying legislation was a step in the right direction, qualified his stance last night and said it should only be a last resort.

Pianist James Richardson said that he did not support local content laws. “I would think anyone who is buying time on Power 95 would be more than happy to buy into programmes that are playing local music.”

Comments made by broadcasters, however, suggested they had a different experience.

Mr. Bishop said there was poor support for local programming from the local advertising community.

Bermuda Broadcasting CEO Rick Richardson, pointed out that the Caribbean community, where some countries already have local content laws, was mooting the setting up of a regional fund to give more support to local artists.

And he outlined ongoing efforts by his company to start an FM station playing solely local music.

“What is being acknowledged here is that local music is being played and perhaps more of it should be played.”

Mr. Richardson made public results of a BBC commissioned poll which showed that while 85 percent of residents want to hear more local music played on the company's radion stations, about the same number of people do not make requests for it to be played.

And 95 percent of respondents said they would support a once-a-week radio programme devoted to local artists.

Sixty two percent said that Government should subsidise a local music programme if commercial support fell short.

Wayne Perinchief, a Commissioner, exhorted the musicians to resurrect the musician's union.

“The union has literally died off as the officers passed away,” he said.