The other day I was watching one of those HMI Facebook Live shows, just letting it play in the background, when the host said something that stopped me cold. He proudly claimed he would never play a song from an album unless he had a promotional agreement with the band or artist. That one line bothered me more than the whole show, because it revealed a deep misunderstanding of how media and promotion actually work.
For anyone new to it, HMI stands for the Haitian Music Industry. It includes bands, solo artists, producers, DJs, promoters, media hosts, all trying to push Haitian music forward. The problem is, too many people inside this space think promotion only happens when there is a formal deal, a contract, or some kind of envelope changing hands.
Look at big platforms like MTV or mainstream radio. When they keep playing the latest Beyoncé video, it does not always mean they have a special promotional agreement with her. They play her because she brings ratings, ratings bring advertisers, and everybody wins. That basic media logic is missing in a big part of the Haitian Music Industry, and until we fix that mindset, the music and the business will both stay stuck.
What That HMI Facebook Live Comment Really Reveals
That one Facebook Live line was not just a hot take. It was a window into how a big part of the Haitian Music Industry thinks about promotion, content, and value. When a host says he will not play a song without a promo deal, he is not just talking about his show, he is speaking for a mindset that quietly runs a lot of HMI media.
This is where the problem stops being about one person and starts being about the whole ecosystem.
The Facebook Live Moment: “Why Should I Play a Song With No Promo Deal?”
On the Live, the host sat back in his chair, reading comments, laughing with the viewers. Then he said it, loud and proud, like it was common sense:
“M pa janm jwe mizik sou yon album si mwen pa gen okenn promo deal ak atis la. Poukisa m ta fè sa?”
In English, the point was simple:He would never play a song from an album if he did not have a promotional agreement with the artist. If there was no deal, no understanding, no envelope, the music stayed off his playlist.
He explained his logic like this:
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His platform is his business, so every spin has to come with a benefit.
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Artists who want exposure should contact him, then set up a paid promo package.
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Random plays are a waste, because they do not bring him direct money.
To many people watching, this sounded normal, even smart. The comments showed it:
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“Li gen rezon, sa se travay li.”
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“Atis yo dwe peye pou promo, pa pou li travay pou yo gratis.”
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“Ou gen platform, ou pa dwe bay li gratis.”
The quiet message was clear:If you want airtime, you pay. If you want your song heard, you sign a deal. If you do not, your music does not exist.
That mindset might feel normal in a space where everyone is hustling, where money is tight, and where people feel used. A lot of HMI insiders think this way but do not say it out loud. They agree in private, they act the same way on their own platforms, and they call it “business.”
The problem is, this is not how successful music media works in bigger markets. In healthy systems, the content that plays is chosen first for audience interest, not for side deals. Money still moves, ads still run, sponsors still pay, but the core rule is simple: if the content pulls viewers, it earns its place.
In the HMI, too many people flipped that logic. Instead of “good content brings money,” the rule became “only money brings content.” That shift is small in words, but huge in impact.
Why This Mindset Hurts the Whole HMI Ecosystem
When a DJ, show host, or media outlet refuses to play a song without a direct promo deal, everything turns into small, short-term trades. It becomes a market of isolated transactions, not a real music culture.
Here is what that does to the ecosystem.
1. It blocks organic discovery
Listeners never get a chance to just discover a new artist by surprise. They only hear whoever paid or made a deal.
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New bands stay invisible unless they have a budget.
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Talented kids with no money never get that first radio moment.
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Hits stay local to fan pages and WhatsApp shares.
Instead of music bubbling up naturally because people like it, playlists get locked behind promo money.
2. It kills variety and makes everything sound the same
If only paying artists get played, you end up with the same 2 names on every Live, every week.
That is why many HMI shows feel like this:
The audience stops expecting surprises. They know what is coming, and after a while, they check out.
3. It weakens trust between media and audience
Viewers are smart. Even if they do not know the details, they can feel when a show is just paid placement.
When the playlist is driven by “who paid” instead of “what is good,” people start to doubt:
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“Is this song hot, or did someone just pay for it?”
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“Does this host really like this band, or is it just a contract?”
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“Why am I not hearing other artists from Haiti and the diaspora?”
Once that doubt sets in, media credibility drops. When people do not trust you, they do not stay long, and they do not share your content.
4. It keeps ratings and audiences flat
Most HMI shows complain about low views, low engagement, or slow growth. This mindset is a big reason why.
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Plays the same few artists,
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Only runs content tied to deals,
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Rarely surprises or challenges the audience,
then your growth ceiling will stay low. You are not programming for the crowd, you are programming for your clients.
In bigger markets, platforms grow because they chase attention and impact first. They know that:
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Good content brings more viewers.
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More viewers bring more ad money.
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More ad money lets them invest back into better shows.
In this HMI version, the order is broken. Hosts look for money first, then shape content around whoever paid. That might bring a quick bag today, but it kills tomorrow’s audience.
5. It confuses promotion with pay-to-play
Promotion, when it works, is a win for three sides:
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The artist gets exposure.
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The audience gets good content.
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The platform gets views and ad money.
What we saw in that Facebook Live clip was not real promotion. It was pay-to-play dressed up as “business.” The host thought he was being professional, but he was really shrinking his own platform by limiting what he could play.
Healthy promotion asks:”What will my audience enjoy and share, and how do I build revenue around that?”
This mindset asks:”Who paid me this week, and how many times do I have to play their song?”
As long as that second question runs HMI media, shows will stay repetitive, artists will stay frustrated, and the industry will keep confusing quick cash with real growth.
How Media, Ratings, And Promotion Actually Work
This is where the whole confusion in the Haitian Music Industry really shows. A lot of people treat a song like a billable item: “If I play it, you pay me.” In real media, a song is not just something to charge an artist for, it is content, and content is what keeps a platform alive.
TV, radio, YouTube, and podcasts all run on the same basic chain:
Good content → more audience → better ratings → more advertisers → more money.
If you forget that chain, you start making strange rules about “promo deals” and you end up blocking the very songs that could help your platform grow.
Content First: Why Good Songs Are Free Fuel for Media Platforms
Every media outlet, big or small, wakes up with the same problem:”What can I put on today so people will watch or listen?”
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TV channels need shows and videos.
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Radio stations need songs, mixes, interviews, and talk.
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YouTube channels need videos that people click and finish.
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Podcasts need stories and takes that keep listeners hooked.
Without strong content, there is no audience. Without an audience, the platform is just a dead frequency or an empty page.
A great song is free fuel for that machine.
When a radio host plays a strong konpa single, a solid Afrobeat track, or a catchy Haitian pop song, they are not only giving a favor to the artist. They are also:
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Making their show more enjoyable.
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Giving people a reason to stay longer.
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Giving people a reason to come back tomorrow.
Think of it like a restaurant. The music is the food.
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If the food is good, customers stay, order more, and tell friends.
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If the food is bad, they leave, and no “promo deal” will save you.
Media works the same way:
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Better content keeps people interested.
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More listeners or viewers show up and stay longer.
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Better ratings make the platform look strong.
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More advertisers want to be seen and heard there.
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More money flows to the outlet.
In that chain, the song or music video is a key ingredient. It is not just a “favor,” it is part of the value the platform offers its public.
So when an HMI host refuses to play a great track unless there is a promo agreement, he is turning away free fuel. He is saying no to content that could:
Smart media owners know this. They hunt for good content first, then build money around the attention that content brings.
MTV, Beyonce, And The Truth About “Promotional Agreements”
People love to point to big names: “Look at MTV, look at Beyonce. They must have huge promo deals, that’s why she is always on screen.”
Yes, big labels and big media companies sign partnerships. Yes, sometimes there are planned campaigns, premieres, and sponsored events. But the daily playlist does not run only on contracts.
It runs on what keeps people glued to the channel.
When MTV was in its prime as a music video channel, it played artists like:
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Beyonce
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Jay-Z
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Rihanna
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Britney Spears
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Eminem
Did MTV get paid directly for every single play of “Crazy in Love” or “Single Ladies”? No.
These videos were on heavy rotation because:
MTV knew that if they filled their schedule with videos nobody cared about, the audience would disappear. No audience means no ratings, and no ratings means no ad money.
So the thinking went like this:
“Beyonce videos keep people watching. If people watch, our ratings improve. If ratings improve, we make more money from ads.”
Yes, labels and channels often have bigger long-term deals. They might partner on tours, album launches, or special releases. But the day-to-day playlist is driven by what works with the crowd.
This is where the HMI can learn a simple lesson:
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Play what your audience loves.
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Play what keeps them from changing the station.
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Play what makes them comment, share, and stick around.
If a new Haitian band drops a song that people genuinely enjoy, that track has the same role on your show that a Beyonce video has on MTV. It is not a random favor. It is a tool to grow your brand.
The more you respect your audience’s taste, the more your platform grows. The more your platform grows, the easier it is to find sponsors and long-term partners. You do not need a separate promo agreement for every single spin when the music itself is already doing the work.
Ratings, Reach, And Ads: The Real Promotion Money Loop
To fix the mindset in the Haitian Music Industry, you have to understand the basic money loop in media. It is not complex. It looks like this:
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The media outlet plays content that people enjoy.
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People stay longer, come back often, and bring friends.
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Audience numbers and ratings go up.
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Brands and businesses see those numbers and buy ads.
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The media outlet earns money from those advertisers.
In this cycle, the direct cash does not come from the artist. It comes from advertisers who pay for access to a strong, loyal audience.
Here is a simple example:
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A radio show plays a mix of the best Haitian tracks, new and old.
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Listeners tune in every night because they know they will hear songs they love.
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After a few months, the show has a stable audience: thousands of people, same time, every week.
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A beer company or a phone brand sees the numbers and says, “We want to sponsor that show.”
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They pay for ad spots, jingles, or brand mentions inside the program.
What did the artists pay for?
What did the advertisers pay for?
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The chance to talk to a real audience,
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Through a platform that already has people’s attention.
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The artist gets exposure without paying for every play.
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The media outlet gets ratings and status.
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Advertisers get a real service in return: access to a targeted, engaged crowd.
The song, the clip, or the live performance is the magnet that attracts people in the first place. Without it, the platform has nothing to sell to sponsors.
The problem in the HMI comes when media owners try to skip the real model and replace it with:
“I only make money if the artist pays me directly.”
That shortcut feels smart at first, but it breaks the loop:
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You play fewer songs, because only paying artists get in.
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Your audience gets bored and stops growing.
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Your ratings stay low, so big advertisers never show up.
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You are stuck chasing small promo deals forever.
A stronger strategy looks like this:
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Focus on the best content first.
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Build and protect your audience numbers.
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Use those numbers to approach serious advertisers.
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Keep your playlist fresh so people never feel like it is just one big infomercial.
This does not mean relationships don’t matter. Of course they do. But relationships should not blind you to what your audience is clearly telling you.
The problem is not the music. Haitian artists are dropping strong records all year. The problem sits in how many media players think about value, promotion, and loyalty. As soon as more of them put audience taste and data first, and money and friendships in the right place, the whole scene gets more dynamic, more open, and much stronger.
That Facebook Live comment about not playing songs without a promo deal is not just bad taste, it is proof of a bigger misunderstanding inside the Haitian Music Industry. In strong music markets, media outlets play good music because it hooks the audience, boosts ratings, and attracts ad money; the money trail runs through advertisers and long-term partnerships, not only through one-off payments from artists. When HMI media treats every spin like a small invoice, it kills discovery, weakens trust, and keeps the whole scene stuck in the same small circle.
The way forward is simple, even if it takes discipline. Artists and media need to think less about quick promo fees and more about audience-first content and long-term growth. If you care about this culture, be part of the shift: support shows that play quality music, ask your favorite platforms for better, more open playlists, and push for smarter, transparent partnerships that respect both the music and the people who pay to make it happen.
