The artists believe that local radio presenters give international entertainers preferential treatment at their expense.
Speaking in an interview with Showbiz, DJ Sid said that if local artists blocked local radio stations from playing their music (through a court injunction, for instance), it would compel regulatory bodies like the Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA) to tighten its screws to safeguard local musicians' economic well-being. "There have been a series of meetings held to discuss these issues. The final decision taken to demonstrate our seriousness is that we should ensure our music is withdrawn from the stations unless there is a change in attitude," he said.
It was resolved that on Saturday (September 1) a core group of performers will launch a campaign to persuade other artists to join them in pressurising local broadcasters to play more local material failing which they would seek court intervention.
DJ Sid alleged that radio stations mislead the BTA that they play enough local music, when the opposite is true. He said he was gravely concerned by government radio stations, which are not profit-driven, because they, too, do not do much to support local music. He said he would like to see RBI and RBII restructured so they could play at least 80 percent local music. "We have enough expertise, content and the technology just to do that. I will be willing to go and set up that system for free at Mass Media Complex if called upon to do so," he said. According to the veteran DJ, radio stations keep misinforming the BTA that they are playing enough Botswana music when the picture on the ground is totally different. "It is totally shocking," DJ Sid said. "An investigation into reports sent to BTA reveals that Yarona fm had just over 36 percent local content. Gabz fm claimed it had over seven percent while Duma fm accounted for 13 percent of local music."
