Global - In the now classic Panorama tune “Band From Space” by Amrit Samaroo, the ‘aliens’ revealed that they learned everything about Pan from monitoring TTT (Trinidad & Tobago Television, the former incarnation of the government’s television station) on their intergalactic television sets. Sadly for our ‘green friends’ from out-of-space, in this pinnacle year celebrating the annual Panorama competition - there was no television signal to monitor, galactically, internationally or locally this past Panorama semi finals.

Ironically this year, 2013, is supposed to be the acknowledgement and celebration of 50 years of steel orchestra Panorama competitions in Trinidad & Tobago, the “home of Steelpan.”
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  • I was not aware of this, but I say Panorama 2014 will be aired. 

    • Hi Ian,panorama is the one thing that I look forward to every year and I have taken the day off from work because of the time difference (your Sunday is my Monday ).Can you tell me if there will be a broad cast and where I can find it
      Thanks Nick.
      • Hello Nicholas,

                               I was merely going out on a limb (lol)

        Since Pan is the National Instrument of Trinidad & Tobago, and Panorama is the biggest pan event, I cannot see how The Powers That Be will allow a local non-broadcast not to materialize. To me Panorama is to Super Bowl, World Series and the NBA Finals.

        Thanks.

        Ian

  • Why do they have to wait for the last minute to work these things out? These things take time to work out and they keep shooting themselves in the foot  as they always want to bring changes now that should been done nine months ago. We the pan lovers are the ones who have to suffer. This is 2014, Panorama should be televise some how internationally and if we have to pay a fee to see, so shall it be. There is pay per view for everything, why can it be for Panorama. If it's money they want to make for pan then here it is.

  • PanTrinbago is made up of a bunch of money grabing administrators who use greed instead of common sense. Every year they have these greedy attitudes which they also had with BET some years ago. When you are new in a business one has to take LITTLE and live longer. It is awful that in this day and age these hustlers can't get their act together. Year after year Trinidadians and the rest of the world try to see the competition abroad and there is always a problem. Some local stations brought it to the USA and Pantrinbago stopped them.These administrators after administrators are just thinking for themselves and not the bands they represents. They do this because every year they make a ONE Dimension VIDEO TAPING  with all the microphones placed around the outside of the band  with none placed inside the various instruments with some bands starting low and some loud. They and the recording company profess that they use multiple expensive cameras but yet you only get one camera view instead of simultaneous views because of these large bands. Get with the program and let professional people run the organization. The organization is 100% sponsored by the government and they charge a whole lot of money and to this age of 50 years they never have money although the government sponsors the competition prize money. Make the arrangements with the local TV station to have the show live, and stop being arrogant and  financially ignorant. Pan Trinbago don't even update their website, we the people get all our information from WHEN STEEL TALKS.

    Thank you,

    Musician

  • It seems to me that the pan authorities of T&T do not have a long term vision for the future of the steelband.

    If they did, they would recognize the importance of exploiting modern media to promote their product- the steelband , and to developing a market for it.

    And that means all media - video and audio, television, and especially the internet.

    A short sighted view is trying to maximize the initial payment for the broadcast.

    A progressive view would recognize the long term benefits of the added exposure created by these broadcasts.

    And Salah Wilson, it isn't brain surgery. One doesn't need a college degree to figure this stuff out.

    • It isn't brain surgery, but after 50yrs, we still don't have a clue. Try a panman with a degree in business.  

    • Yuh up on your stuff, Glenroy!!!

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  • What a disgrace and indeed, a tragedy of tremendous proportions. Imagine this happening in "The Land of Pan" in a watershed year of competition involving the national instrument.

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