It's refreshing to read some real commentary on the state of the music industry in South Africa in 2007. Since 1994, it's quite clear that the bulk of professional news writers have abandoned truth, intregrity and real reporting.

Just on Nisa... there has been no abandonment of sharing information in the industry, just a formal withdrawl from any involvement with CREATE SA and MAPPP SETA, as fundamentally..to continue was to accept being part of a shocking insult to the concept of skills development. Nisa continues to workshop and lecture widely..., at the annual the Music Business Program for the Cape Town Jazz Festival, Entertainment Law Course at UoJ, at ARIPO in Harare and ongoing at SARRAL, and others.

Problems that continue to plaugue the South African music industry include:
a. No Charter.. as an industry this is a source of great embarrassment and anger, as the entire sector has neither dealt with the torrid past, nor geared for the future in terms of the national agenda. Sins that plagued history continue to cast evil shadows on the lives of people as many practices continue unabated. Consider the opinion that SA is populated by 4 types of peoples.... black blacks and black whites.... and white whites and white blacks. When you add the latter two together, you get the horror of apartheid, and war was won when the former two (with others)shifted the tide to an ANC future. With NO charter in the music industry...the war essentially has never ended... and covertly and overtly still rages, with an unholy alliance between the white whites and white blacks exerting significant force against transformation.
b. A quota system that is akin to relegating SA culture into a permanent backwater in it's own country. This is perhaps the single biggest real driver of local industry income, and if the digital scanning records of Mediaguide are to be believed, there is no compliance with the ICASA rulings at all, and SA musicians and businesses are deprived of significant income. The facts, according to Mediaguide, are that of the top 100 songs played on SA radio in 2006, only 12 were local artists, and only 2 were in the top 50. The biggest song from the biggest selling album in 2005 and 2006 from Tshwi Nomtakela came in only at #99. So long as we do not hold our own culture as precious.. and our knowledge as priceless, we will not have a local industry. Speaking to those in power, can we not learn that a powerful local quota (as in 75% local) will drive a powerful local industry.
c. Lack of political will... this is so sad, as we have substantial confusion about the meaning of 'power', and little to NO will to implement. The music industry has suffered no end, during the colonial times, apartheid times and since, and there have been ample opportunities for Government intervention... which simply has not happened. Instead of investigating pariahs of the past, current policies have encouraged an entrenchment of the bosom buddies of the apartheid state. Instead of embracing the issues brought up in the Music Industry Task team report, they have buried them, and found too often, that their so-called supporters, all too easily turn and "bite the hand that feeds"
d. Lack of transformation - 4 record companies proudly tell the industry how powerful they are.. controlling in their minds some 70%+ of the industry sales.. from their own numbers. Sadly 3 of these companies have no single SA shareholder, black or white, and certainly from what is known behave decidely in the interests of their 100% foreign owned shareholders. It follows thus that there are no black proteges..no mentorship..and the same white leadership for twenty years. The situation is far far worse in the murky world of music publishing, with there being only 2 black people in the 13 person Board of the SA association of music publishers NORM....
e. An embarrasing confusion on behalf of the departments that are alleged to have the interests of the music industry, namely trade and industry and arts & culture. To watch on the sideline the parochial and narrow minded exclusive approach and ineffective posing that goes down is extraordinary
f. Atrocious behaviour on behalf of alleged role models..anything for publicity...misrepresenting the state of play. Consider cringing to watch Hugh Masekela recently diss the SA Government's support of the music industry on AlJazeera..and You Tube. How sad when we all know that he is arguably, since 1994, the single largest individual receipient of Government support in the music industry. He received the Directorship of the State Theatre in the Mid 90's, performed on most every single major governemtn show re inaugurations in the las 10 years, recived millions to start his record label Chisa, and the list of perks to a favoured son go on.... and he whinges. One can only imagine the thousands of South African musicians who have never come close to even a shred of such support. Instead of using his undoubted experience and network to assist a better music industry, better knowledge and better skills... a better life for all so to speak... he bludgeons the very people who have supported him..in the international press. Truth is the SA music industry needs people committed to the interests of the industry, and not just directly to their own personal interests. There are many other examples of the behaviour of alleged role models
which do great damage to the industry

If Mduduzi has a point, why can't he express same in a concise fashion? Frankly his waffle does NOT help the originator of this debate.

For those interested in furthering their music business knowledge I have set a course at Wits Plus, the Centre for Part Time Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, called "Management and Marketing for the Music Industry", running for the past 4 years now. The course is independent from most music industry organisations (although guest lectures from many music industry organisations and business are invited to talk on various subjects) and we seek to have an open platform for students to share experiences and combine knowledge based around course topics, course notes and the textbook I wrote for the course. The textbook is aptly called "The South African Music Business" and is my attempt to objectively and unbiasedly draw together as much factual information on the local industry as possible, with international best practice filling the gap. I also lecture at the Academy of Sound Engineering where over 200 students leave the college each year to find work in a saturated audio industry. Music career paths for sound engineers result in high stress and low income, prompting more students to find work in the post-production (advertising) industry, reducing skilled engineers for music. The industry does run on passion, but, as I know because I am a producer, is an industry based on high start-up costs for studios and high rates to rent out the facility. Most new artists can't afford these facilities which decreases their sound quality to an extent. Record labels, then, are also on a shoe-string budget as well and often cut corners - because of a lack of sales. A lack of sales is perhaps due to a lack of airplay\promotion and unfocussed marketing... blah, blah, blah!

I am often approached by students (both for business and engineering) who ask me where they can find work. I refer them to Music Industry Online to place their detials in their employment forum, look at business websites for any employment information and submit CVs to music businesses as well as netork as much as possible - attend events such as Mediatech and Moshito, both music related. When I know of positions I make those available. Sadly, this is not enough.

In a recent survey, in research for the second edition of my book, to employment agencies asking for their opinions on job placement for the music industry, all so far responded that they did not "operate" in this industry. As such, I think this industry falls outside the realm of "normal business recruitment". I think many of them thought I was talking about musicians as opposed to "specialised" legal, financial, technical (sound engineers) and marketing personnel which I have prompted for further responses. This leads me to believe, as I was\am in the same situation, that their is no concentrated "employment agency" for the music industry - a worthwhile business idea for a music business entrepreneur. As is the case with music business education, I believe this may be the result of a lack of information about our local industry in all areas of the business.

If anyone is looking to employ someone in the music industry, please send me their details and I will make the students I lecture aware of the position. Specifically for musicians, best to approach an agency\management company to see if they are worth paying commission to, but get you more gigs. A directory such as The Score (www.thescore.co.za) may help in this regard.