War over ‘payola’ - DJ Abio says no

Most Ghanaian musicians are dying and dying poor. Not because they do not make money out of what they produce, but because there are no concrete structures and channels in the country through which they can benefit immensely from what they have produced.

These were some of the grave concerns expressed by giants in the music industry in Ghana at a seminar to address some pressing issues affecting the development of the industry.

The Chief Executive Officer of Creative Storm and International Film Maker, Mr. Kwesi Owusu, as a matter of urgency, called for intensive campaign against a system where radio station Disc Jockeys (DJs) demand huge money from musicians in order to promote a particular music.

He stressed that `Payola`, as it is being described in media circles, must be stopped now, since it is obvious that the operation of radio stations will not be complete without music each day.

For him, that is an injustice which is killing the music industry gradually and therefore everything possible must be done to stop it at this stage.

He stressed that `DJs think they are doing us a favour by playing our music but that is not it at all.`

Mr. Owusu expressed this concern when Metro TV in collaboration with Busac organised a seminar to equip musicians in the country with the requisite knowledge to propel them to the international market and also dismantle all structures which are injurious to them.

But in a quick rebuttal from DJ Abio of Accra-based radio station Channel R, he suggested that Ghanaian music is not suffering because of `Payola`.

According to him, the music industry in the country can survive the test of time if right structures are put in place and that `Payola` should not be cited for the collapse of the industry.