Earlier this week, Venaune Kandukira, widely known as Big Ben, pleaded with radio stations in the country to play more of local songs during the lockdown.
He posted his message on his official Facebook account and tagged almost all the radio stations.
‘’Dear Namibian radio stations, we beg you to play local music and entertainment content. More royalties would be paid out to more local songwriters and musicians when you play more local music. Please help feed your local creatives during these hard times. All gigs and revenue opportunities have been cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak and we need to stand together and care for each other. Help feed your creatives; play local music. Dear Namibians, please help feed your local creatives by requesting and demanding more local music and content on our local stations. Please tag and request local music,’’ his post read.
Radio personality and music commentator Andre J Gariseb said radio is a listener-driven medium; ‘’…therefore, it would be advisable for artists to urge their legions and of fans to demand more local music and content. That way, the stations will be forced to oblige.
He further urged artists to also look at the club and mobile DJs and encourage them to play more of local songs. ‘’…coz it’s also the DJs that influence what the public play in their cars, shopping centres, parties and car washes,’’ he ended.
Last week, South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa announced measures and a relief fund of R150 million towards assisting artists, athletes, technical personnel and the core ecosystem that supports them to soften the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on their livelihood.
– slunyangwe@nepc.com.na