Almost two decades since the launch of TEMPO Networks, there is absolutely no slowing down for the man behind the first and only pan- Caribbean media and entertainment company. In fact, TEMPO is not only here to stay but major plans are in the works to make it even better.
Frederick Morton Jr, entrepreneur, attorney-at-law, producer and visionary pioneer behind TEMPO Networks – which offers its audience Caribbean music and cultural content – sat with BT Lifestyle for an exclusive and candid conversation in which he shared exciting plans for the network.
One of them is the TEMPO + Caribbean Network app, which Morton describes as the “Netflix of the Caribbean.” The business savvy entrepreneur is choosing to embrace technology with open arms and using it to his advantage. While the app has not yet been officially launched, it is available for download on Apple and Android devices.
“We have this amazing technology that now allows the network to communicate directly with the audience. It’s just building a great application that you can access on your smartphone. Now TEMPO can reach you directly!” Morton said with his trademark grin.
Reflecting on the launch of the network in 2005, Morton is appreciative of the Caribbean and the diaspora for the love shown to TEMPO.
“It has been an amazing journey. And now, everything is in place – the stars, the moon, everything has aligned for the next step. We have laid an amazing foundation and it’s time, and I’m very, very excited about the next stage of TEMPO,” he told BT Lifestyle.
Iconic original content that people have come to know and love such as Cross Caribbean Countdown, Pull Up Selecta and Badness Outta Style are all earmarked to make a big comeback – albeit with new touches and upgrades that align with the changing media landscape.
Hot Ones Caribbean
As a testament to the tenacity and business acumen of the 40-something-year-old Morton, Hot Ones Caribbean was conceptualised in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when he found himself in Trinidad & Tobago for an extended period after borders closed. Putting his strong legal background and negotiation skills to use, he obtained the franchise for the Caribbean. The first season was produced in Trinidad while the second season moved up the island chain to Jamaica.
With Hot Ones Caribbean now in its third season, airing from Morton’s birthplace, St Croix, US Virgin Islands, he is pleased at the reception the series has been getting. Not wanting to give away too much about Season 4, he noted that the network aims to move all around the region because “The Caribbean is a hot one!” For the latest episode which is out now, “Mr Tempo” himself, as he is popularly known, will be in the hot seat answering burning questions.
Telling Caribbean Stories
Looking ahead, the CEO is cognisant that as revolutionary as the network has been for the Caribbean and the diaspora, there is still much work to be done.
“It excites me because now we can do it in an even stronger way. We are moving around more, we are becoming a bit stronger in our regional identity, and now that we are in a position to get our message out even stronger,” he contended.
When it comes to telling Caribbean stories, Morton has a master plan for TEMPO to continue telling them. The quintessential Caribbean visionary sees the region uniting in such a powerful way that the world has no choice but to stop and take notice.
“We have laid an amazing foundation and it’s time, and I’m very, very excited about the next stage of TEMPO.”
