06 Jan 2020

Music promoter, Gilbert ‘Pp’ Seagile has embarked on Operation 70 Percent Local Content campaign, that advocates for local works to get 70 per cent airplay, on radio stations.

In an interview, Pp who is the head of Gilbert Promotions  said local promoters had realised that the growth of the local entertainment industry was hindered by broadcasters’ failure to play local music.

He said local artistes were still indigent, despite having released good music, which he attributed to not being afforded the platform to be known.

The local promoter said the Copyright Society of Botswana (COSBOTS) continued to pay a lot of royalties to foreign artistes, whose works enjoy more airplay locally.

He said that their desire was to see local musicians getting a bigger chunk of the royalties, which could only be achieved if local broadcasters change how they operated.

Pp said the South African entertainment industry stakeholders did the same, hence the popularity of their musicians.

“South African musicians enjoy 90 per cent airplay, hence their artistes are empowered. This came to be because the likes of Don Laka fought for that. We yearn for the same locally,” he said.

He said airplay could popularise artistes and break the monopoly enjoyed by few artistes.

The promoter said presently, if the big names such as Vee, Charma Gal and Franco were not available promoters become skeptical to hold shows because they could not lure revelers with unknown names.

“If radio stations were giving artistes adequate airplay, listeners would be familiar with some of these unknown artistes. We don’t want a situation where we are at the mercy of three or four artistes. Albums are released every day, yet they are  not heard of. This alone thwarts the artistes’ efforts,” he lamented.

Pp said 70 percent local content campaign aimed to create a pool of artistes for promoters to pick from or even organise shows that featuring artistes within the region were the show was being held.

The promoter said some countries such as Nigeria were stern on playing local music, hence their artistes had grown and even penetrated markerts in other countries.

He said the creative industry had potential to employ more people and contribute massively to the country’s economy.

The promoter said they planned to hold a forum with their stakeholders, who included BOCRA, COSBOTS, and broadcasters in March, to discuss what could be a hindrance to the local industry’s growth.

He said currently, they would be creating awareness as a build up to the March meeting, adding that they planned to invite the President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, among other dignitaries.

He said they wanted all to appreciate their efforts and help support the local creative industry. Ends