Thursday, May 19, 2022
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Society

More sweat, no gain

by John Chirwa
11/12/2016
in Society
4 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

…the cry of musicians

 

Musician Phungu Joseph Nkasa looks back to 2003 with nostalgia. He remembers receiving about K2 million as payment of royalties from the Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) for his hit album Tigwirane Manja.

Nkasa describes such payment as “a huge sum of money” worthy the status of the album that broke sales and radio music charts, especially for its song Mphwayi ndi Tsoka.

But today, the master of lyrics can only wish if he could turn back the hands of time.

“These days, with piracy, it’s difficult to break such a record,” he says. “But in those days it was easy because our albums which were in cassettes could hardly be pirated.”

Just a few weeks ago, top urban artists Gwamba and Martse vented their frustrations on social media for payment of royalties which were less than K10 000 each and described such payment as “money for lunch” and “peanuts”.

The case of these two musicians surprised many fans considering the massive airplay their songs, especially Better and Mwano respectively, had been enjoying on various radio and television stations.

In an interview with our sister paper The Nation, Gwamba who received K8 100 said the payment is “crazy and funny, but sad”, wondering if up-and-coming artists would be willing to sign with Cosoma, which has a membership of 8 000 musicians, when the established ones get peanuts.

However, the issue, possibly, should be how does Cosoma distribute these royalties because most of the musicians we interviewed are not aware of the criteria used for distribution? And what should be done to make sure that artists really benefit from their works?

Cosoma senior licensing officer Rosario Kamanga says royalties are usually based on the number of times a song is played on a radio station as well as the number of album sales.

“The more airplay that a particular song receives on a high paying radio station would, all things being equal, give a higher amount,” he says.

However, for the issue of Gwamba and Martse, Kamanga says his office needs to find out the type of loyalty that was distributed to the artists.

Cosoma has three types of royalties: mechanical, broadcasting and public performances.

With mechanical royalties, artists benefit through sales of their albums whereas broadcasting and public performances have to do with the number of airplay the songs enjoy on radio and television stations as well as public places like pubs.

Kamanga says the millions that Nkasa received were royalties from album sales “which is 10 percent on every copy”.

He says artists need to be aware that royalty based on airplay is just “an additional income”.

“It is not the main income. The main income comes from album sales,” he says.

Therefore, he says artists should not blame Cosoma when they get peanuts from their singles because “we do not give from without”.

“If the royalty has been paid less from radio stations then that same less is divided among the musicians whose works have been used for playing. That means the amount will not be substantial,” says Kamanga.

He suggests that with the advent of technology, downloads of songs on various websites should be paid for to help artists accumulate more money.

Legendary musician-cum-politician Lucius Banda says rather than blaming Cosoma, musicians should fight for local radio stations to start playing more of Malawian music.

“Royalties are based on airplay. If it is not played enough on radios then it won’t accumulate more royalties. So, people should not hate Cosoma. They should fight that radios in Malawi should play more Malawian music.

“Presently, local radio stations play Nigerian and Zambian music more than Malawian music. And how would a local artist benefit in that way?” he reasons.

Banda says Malawi is externalising forex by playing more foreign music because “a lot of royalties are going outside the country”.

Banda who is also member of Parliament (MP) for Balaka North says law makers have passed a motion in the present sitting of Parliament to force local radio stations to prioritise Malawian music.

The motion, moved by Thyolo Thava MP Mary Navicha and supported by gospel musician-cum-legislator Allan Ngumuya of Blantyre City South Constituency, requires radio stations to play 70 percent of local music.

Ngumuya hopes the motion would help artists benefit from copyright money, saying without which musicians will continue labouring in vain as he has done with his previous 15 albums.

Reggae musician Lambanie Dube says it is high time musicians took charge of institutions like Cosoma if their welfare is to be addressed.

“Music is supposed to be run by musicians themselves. The problem in Malawi is that we have left music in the hands of individuals who do not know music. These individuals are interested in enriching themselves and not the artist,” he says.

Previous Post

Paradise or persecution?

Next Post

Is Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood bearing fruit?

Related Posts

Society

Masai artworks, tradition in Malawi

May 14, 2022
Society

Israel: another talented Chinga on the spotlight

April 23, 2022
Society

up and down the shire on mangunda

April 2, 2022
Next Post
A report showed some expectant mothers having their uteruses removed

Is Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood bearing fruit?

Opinions and Columns

Business Unpacked

Fixing economy needs action, not rhetoric

May 19, 2022
Candid Talk

Know your place in his/her life

May 15, 2022
People’s Tribunal

Why can’t we start with implementing the reforms?

May 15, 2022
Big Man Wamkulu

My wife is a WhatsApp addict

May 15, 2022

Trending Stories

  • CAF accepts FAM’s request on Flames fixture shift

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Muluzi, state in endless match

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • UTM party vehicle issue goes to MRA

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Road traffic spot fines on way out

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Cooking oil shortage hits Malawi

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Malawi-Music.com Top10

  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2022 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.