Radio stations in Kumasi to be banned

FROM JAMES APPIAKORANG JNR., KUMASI

The Deputy National Secretary of the Ghana Phonographic Industry, Rev. Francis Boahen, has disclosed that radio stations would soon be banned from playing musical works on their networks if non-payment of royalties to musicians still persist.

He noted that radio stations had intentionally ignored the payment of royalties to them knowing that it was their work which had impacted negatively on the sale of musical works in the country.

“They just play the songs from the beginning to the end without saying anything thereby allowing people to record the music”.

He lamented, adding that “Who would buy a CD or cassette when he could get the song free of charge on radio”?

Speaking to Today in an interview in Kumasi, Rev. Boahen noted that the situation had resulted in the low sale of musical CDs adding that it had the potential of destroying the music industry.

He said the non-payment of royalties was making them financially handicapped and gradually paralyzing the industry.

Rev. Boahen, who is also a producer, expressed displeasure at the giving out of huge sums of money [otherwise known as payola] to DJs and presenters by his colleagues, describing it as ignorance.

“Why should I pay someone who is playing my song to entertain his listeners, very soon they will all become fed up and rise up to reality”? He noted.

He argued that Kojo Antwi, Rex Omar and the likes were selling their music CDs and cassettes even when there were not much radio stations in the country.

Commending the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Rev. Boahen said most of the radio stations even did not have logs in the studio and were just playing the songs without keeping records on them.