Africa-Press – Uganda. Media operators under the National Broadcasters Association (NAB) have advised local artistes to focus on producing quality content if they want to dominate airplay on Uganda’s airwaves.
The suggestion was made before the parliamentary Committee on Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) yesterday as the NAB leadership made its input into the call to have reviews made to the amendment of the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act, 2006.
In his submission, the NAB secretary general, Mr Joseph Beyanga, dismissed allegations by a section of local artistes who claimed their content was denied airplay.
“We need to make sure our artistes are putting out quality content that is competitive and can shut out foreign content which they are complaining about,” Mr Beyanga said.
He advised local artistes to out-compete their foreign counterparts.
“We are picking foreign content because our audience prefers that content. If we are serving people, we have to serve them what they like. We are not putting out rubbish for the sake of meeting the quota and then we end up losing audiences,” Mr Beyanga said.
He added: “Media is about a business we are running and we have to make sure we get the highest number of listeners and viewers.”
The representative of online media at the NAB, Mr Andrew Irumba, re-echoed the view, saying most of the locally produced content is profane and therefore can’t get be given deserving airplay.
“These people are pushing you [MPs] to put it in the law that the local companies should use their faces but when [you go] on their social media platforms, I don’t think you can use someone who is half naked,” Mr Irumba said.
He added: “…And then tomorrow, you want me to use you as the brand. Let the Ministry of Gender take up the mantle and demand that they behave, they are destroying society.”
The submissions come weeks after a section of local artistes presented a petition on the floor of Parliament through the National Female Youth MP, Ms Phiona Nyamutoro over the need to have their content dominate all local stations.
However, Mr Beyanga said implementing such a demand would only be possible if the artistes produce quality content.
“The request that nine out of 10 songs should be Ugandan is not only unreasonable but impractical, talent globally is dictated by quality, if the product is good, we can play 10 out of 10,” Mr Beyanga said.
The Shadow Minister for ICT, Ms Gorreth Namugga (Mawogola South), recommended a meeting between the NAB and artistes to find a common ground.
She said this would heavily benefit both the broadcasters and the artistes.
“Have you ever had yourselves in the same meeting to discuss this because this is your business? Government is there to regulate but at the end of the day, this is yours, if it is misled this side, you will also face the consequences,” Ms Namugga said.
The ICT committee scheduled a meeting with the ministries of ICT and that of Justice and Constitutional Affairs next week to make an informed report on the matter.
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