More speak out on radio play-for-pay

Almost a year after the SABC committed itself to playing 90% local music, a number of Eastern Cape artists are yet to benefit from this as they are “expected” to pay for airplay.

Payola, in the music industry, is the illegal practice of payment or other inducement by record companies for the broadcast of recordings on commercial radio in which the song is presented as being part of the normal day’s broadcast.

For independent artists it is a struggle to get their music across as they have to pay their way through the airwaves.

This week the Daily Dispatch reported about an artist who accused an Umhlobo Wenene FM gospel presenter of asking for bribes.

Umhlobo Wenene FM station manager Phumzile Mnci said no presenter had a right to ask for money from artists, and said only the music compilers and producers were responsible for playlists or interviews.

Although the presenter denied the allegation, the report opened a can of worms, and a number of other local artists, who asked to be anonymous, came forward to say they also were expected to make some form of payment although the services were supposed to be free.

The artists still have hopes of getting airplay on major stations and fear being blacklisted if their identities became known.

One artist from Mthatha said he submitted his music to a well-known radio station, but it was never played, even though it was of high quality.

“I asked a well-known singer to submit it for me and I started getting airplay. There is not only the expectation of money but there is a lot of favouritism in this industry,” the artist said.

He said most stations played the same people repeatedly and upcoming artists were “never” given an opportunity to share their music with the listeners.

The complaints range from being ignored to being told to “motivate” (pay off) stations’ music compilers.