Topics – Think Tank – South … Africa
Our vision: SAMusic.Org
Use global best practice to create a united music industry body in SA. Learning from the success of UKMusic, our vision is to create an industry-wide body, which will bring artists, creators, managers & labels together, to work on growing & driving the SA music industry.
Policy, Legislation, Regulation & talking (to government) with a united voice.
Our Insight / The industry is talking with a united voice: Contrary to initial views, key players across the music industry are having constructive conversations among each other, about policy, legislation & regulatory issues.
The issue / The right people are not listening: Key players in government – and the DTI in particular – are not aligned with the needs of the music industry.
Our opportunity / Capitalise on the power of the media: The music industry must use the power of its relationships with Creators to influence the government to listen to & engage in discussions about the industry’s needs.
Quotas on local content as a tool for protection / promotion of indigenous culture
Our Insight / Quotas alone can’t ignite true growth: Although quotas help to protect & grow local creators, they are, in fact, masking the true barriers to the industry’s growth, by providing artificial demand.
The issue / The industry must be financially self-generating: The music industry should be proactively addressing the elements that are stunting its growth (e.g. cost of geographic distance) ,to ensure self-generating growth, rather than relying on quotas to hide the deficiencies.
Our opportunity / Develop a mix of multiple solutions to drive growth: Work as an industry, and with government, to develop a synergistic combination of mechanics (beyond quotas) to grow the industry – e.g. funding for creators to overcome costs of geographic barriers.
Quotas should only be used for specific situations, where niche culture/languages require protection.
Capitalise on untapped growth in local TV production, which currently does not include music composition
How do we improve music consumption & production patterns
Our Insight / Most Africans can’t access music legally: Many consumers in the continent cannot afford to buy music legally and can’t access the required infrastructure to download it.
The issue / African music market is too small to be affordable: The high demand for illegal music shows us the immense potential for affordable & accessible legal music. The sheer size of the youth population in African indicates the exponential future growth potential.
Our opportunity / Drive down costs by capitalising on the African reality: Develop bespoke solutions to address the African reality – e.g.:
- Build a platform designed for Africa: affordable, for the unbanked & can be streamed on mobile phone
- Create a pan-African touring circuit
- Regulate & educate intermediaries
Build trust & educate creators to work with the music industry
: Many creators are suspicious of the music industry:
- They find it confusing, due to language barriers (most communication is not in the vernacular)
- The “no sharing” nature of the business can be perceived as culturally misaligned in an African context
The issue / Creators are not aligned with the industry’s growth intentions: Rather than capitalising on what the music industry offers them, many creators will develop their own solutions (e.g. sell through pirates) & therefore diminish the industry’s capabilities.
Our opportunity / Find African solutions to unlock barriers & attract artists: Educate creators in their vernacular languages – e.g.
- Using the national broadcasters across Africa
- Through roadshows with African creators, providing live examples
Develop digital solutions & apps which are accessible & affordable to African creators
