YouTube killing movie industry not telenovelas – Mercy Asiedu

After several movie makers accused telenovelas of killing the Ghanaian movie industry, Kumawood superstar Mercy Asiedu has called it a lie.

The ‘Asoreba’ actress believes American video-sharing website headquartered in San Bruno, California, Youtube is the destroyer of the movie industry.

Zionfelix.net monitoring her on Kumasi-based Agyenkwa FM on her birthday, Oheneyere argued that movie lovers now watch films on Youtube so their love for buying CDs is no more.

According to her, Ghanaians living abroad were the ones mostly purchasing local movies but the current trend of uploading newly-produced movies on Youtube has slowed down sales since they watch them for free. Mercy Asiedu also mentioned that her recent trip to America proved that Ghanaians living outside watch a lot of movies on Youtube than the usual culture of purchasing films.

She then advised movie makers to also adopt the new technology to help sustain the industry.

“Anytime there is a new movie, you will see it on YouTube hours after its release. How will someone who has watched a movie on Youtube take money to purchase a copy? Ghanaians outside were the ones buying most of our movies but they now watch our films on Youtube. When I made my recent trip to U.S.A, I realised all movies in Ghana are on Youtube so they just log onto the internet and they start watching them one after the other.

We are now pleading with our leaders to adopt the new trend so that it will help the indstry” Mercy Asiedu told B Ice, host of the mid-morning show.

When asked about her colleague’s claim that telenovelas on TV stations are killing the industry, she said “I will not say it is part of why our industry is suffering. TV stations are running a business and they need money so they show content which will generate income for them. We have to produce content that will yield income for them as well so we should not blame telenovelas. I have a new series on TV and I’ve been receiving good reviews since it started showing. If we can all produce quality products for the TV stations, I’m not sure they will reject them.”