'Payola' Abr3

This piece is meant to question radio disc jockey
and presenters on why they have allowed money to
rule their work to this extent? If you have closely
been monitoring music on radio for the past ten
years, you will have noticed the total change and
sequence in the kind of music you hear on radio.
Not more than eight years ago, Doreen Andoh of
Joy 99.7 Fm vent her splint on colleague radio
presenters to avoid taking ‘Payola’ .Am one of the
few young chaps who understood the pressure and
back clash she faced for that statement during an
interview.
Undoubtedly, Payola is not an entirely new
phenomenon in the world and precisely Ghana where
we have new music talents coming up every day.
Music is one of the numerous gifts God has dashed
out to Ghana at no cost.
However the way it is been treated here is totally
different. We found ourselves in a country where
the future of paying royalties to musicians is not
too clear,The fundamental structures are not
encouraging, The front liners are not sure of its
prospect,Government seems to be watching
elsewhere,The cost of producing music is sky
rocking on daily basis,
The paradigm has shifted,The system where the
radio station’s regulation tells you the kind of
music to pay is no more working, Individual radio
presenters and disc jockeys decide what to play.
Money and gifts are the driving force.
The weight of the money drawn into the Djs
pocket, determines the number of times he will
play and repeat a particular song. It doesn’t
matter whether the content of the song is good
for air or not. Contributing largely to the
increasing value of poorly produced sounds we have
on our airwaves.
Majority of the radio music players have failed
over the years. Refusing to reject poor productions
that are been handed to them by promoters and
managers and sometimes the artistes themselves.
Money is indeed a necessary evil but cannot be
allowed to ruin the career of those who have the
potential. It is very sad to hear someone say Djs
are killing the game.
Most musicians complain bitterly about the level of
discrimination and unfair treatment they go
through in the hands these money conscious Djs
before they play your music.
We have situations where listeners even makes
request for songs but what presenters do is to flip
over them. Some Djs have a lineup of their own
artiste that they promote and that reminds me of
the message in Stonebwoy’s ‘No Sir’. In that song
he stated categorically that “presenters should not
sit down for things to get bitter because music is
their life and future” .Who is ready to join the
advocacy today?.
We also have situations where some music record
labels have signed contract with some radio
presenters to play music from their artistes on
daily basis and at the end of the month, their bank
accounts are been credit with cash.
It may sound good but unprofessional. The
presenter at this point will play the song
irrespective of its proficiency.
Djs and presenters today will call managers or
whoever sent the song to them immediately after
their show for them to do ‘something’ in returns.
These behaviors are just not good but also prevent
some good musicians from getting the platforms to
get their songs heard.
The internet is becoming a dominant platform for
promoting music but it comes with its
challenges.Club Djs and mobile Djs are not left out
of this circumstance. It is becoming more of whom
you know.
The best way to go now is to seek some lasting
interventions .Formation of legal bodies and
associations that will steer the affairs of both
partners at this moment is highly recommended.
The National Media Commission, Ghana Music Council
should come to a consensus on how music should be
promoted on radio. This will reduce the unnecessary
exploitation of music managers, promoters and
artistes.
Source: Afia English