THE association of music managers, Music Management Forum of Zimbabwe, is pushing for a policy that will see local radio stations availing 60% of their airplay to up-and-coming artistes' music.
Russell Mavudzi, the organization’s secretary-general, stated that their aim was to advocate for increased locally produced content on both radio and TV.
"We aim to discuss this matter with our parent ministry to collaborate with the Ministry of Information and Publicity, ensuring that at least 90% of radio station content is locally produced, with 60% featuring emerging artists," he stated.
The playing field isn't level; these artists don't get the same exposure as more established ones, with some of their music gathering dust in radio station libraries.
Implementing such a policy will aid in reducing the disparity and establishing a level playing field.
Emerging artists often face financial limitations when trying to promote their music and have restricted opportunities for performances since promoters tend to favor well-known musicians.
We will also push for a 60% allocation of slots for emerging artists at national event lineups to support them and provide platforms to promote their careers.
Nonetheless, artists should not perform without compensation at these events.
At the dawn of the new century, the government implemented a policy mandating 100% local content, which led to the rise of urban grooves music. To foster growth within the music industry amid the economic challenges affecting various sectors, collaborations and exchanges must be encouraged to create synergistic relationships.
Mavudzi believes that the newly appointed Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture, Anselem Sanyatwe, will boost the funding allocated to the music sector.
"The music industry is akin to a valuable resource; artists could substantially boost Zimbabwe's GDP by emulating the successes seen in countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Jamaica, and the United States," he stated.
The new minister has the opportunity to create policies aimed at safeguarding the industry and boosting government funding for the arts sector.
He thinks that participating in global events such as WOMEX aids in fostering international partnerships.
We are developing modules for music management, which could gain approval from the Ministry of Education after Music Crossroads initiated a music management course. However, I believe this program didn’t attract many enrollments and consequently got discontinued.
The modules will feature international artists since we are part of the International Music Managers Forum.