TMCnet News
Artists marketing training launched [Zimbabwean, The](Zimbabwean, The Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aspiring artists are expected to boost their visibility in the highly congested arts industry following the launch of a tailor-made marketing training programme. Tatea Da MC and Black Bird. The Artists Publicity Workshops were launched by media personality-cum-musician Nonkululeko Vundla, better known as Black Bird in rap circles. Black Bird said the training programme came after she realised that most talents were suffering from media black-outs despite their remarkable capabilities. "The marketing programme seeks to equip artists in various parts of the country on how they can boost their visibility. Most talents outside Harare go unnoticed because they don't know how to get their brands out there," she told The Zimbabwean. Artists will receive training in how to get media exposure in various mediums such as television, radio, newspapers, websites, blogs and social media. The publicity training is open to artists from across board, namely musicians, actors, playwrights, painters, writers and potential public figures. Black Bird said she intended to take the training programme nationwide following the first training held in Bulawayo recently. The Waiting for Love hit-maker has vast experience in the arts and media industry. Besides being a hip-hop artist, Black Bird is a qualified journalist who has worked for Channel O, Star FM, H-Metro and ZimboJam. The training programme came at a time when various artists outside the capitol have bemoaned lack of airplay and media coverage. A cross-section of artists from Mutare who spoke to this newspaper singled out the airwaves as their major impediment towards the success of their music careers. "We appeal to radio broadcasters to give us a chance on the airwaves. It's always Harare or Bulawayo at the expense of other deserving provinces. All musicians are supposed to get equal airplay regardless of where they come from," said Lameck Mutero, the forntman of a dendera outfit called Two Keys. Promising contemporary artist Juicer Mpostori of the Handinamari fame expressed the same sentiments. "The guys at the radio stations are treating us unfairly. They hardly play our music and at times they ask for kickbacks to do so. And for some of us here in Mutare it's hard to liaise with them. Your song might be played once and that is it," he said. He painfully confided that he was forced to depend on piracy for publicity since there was no room for his music on radio. "Personally I do admit that piracy did more for me than radio," he said. Another hip hop artist, J Flow, said it was difficult and costly to promote music to the radio DJs because the radio stations were all based in Harare. (c) 2014 The Zimbabwean. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |