By Ian Ortega
If you thought the Entertainment industry was aimed at growing the Uganda talent and promoting the new comers, you may be wrong. Reports now show that behind the scenes, there’s a lot of exploitation going on.
The exploitation is more popular on big radio stations and big TV stations where some presenters have taken on a cult-like figure at such stations. These presenters and deejays have turned this into a money-making scheme where they reap money off upcoming artistes in exchange for playing their song on their shows.
It’s believed that upcoming artistes without a promoter go through the biggest hurdles to make it big. This has seen many talented artistes get frustrated as the industry welcomes mediocre songs from mediocre artistes who have money to buy song airplay.
Apart from the cash-siphoning skills, other presenters are also using this opportunity to get female upcoming artistes to give them sexual favours in exchange for playing their songs. One artiste who preferred anonymity had this to say:
“I approached one of the big radio stations, the presenter asked me to come back in the evening. He then led me to their studios and suddenly began fondling my boobs. He went ahead to tell me, that if I could go further than this, he would make sure my song was played daily and would even ask his colleagues to play the song. He sexually abused me. And he confessed that this is how it happens, I either give in or forget about making it in the music industry.”
This has led to a new phenomenon in Uganda called: “Sex for airplay, cash for airplay.” Analysts say that more than ever before, media ethics have gone down the pipe, since some radio station managers are also involved in these deals.
In our next segment, we shall expose all the Radio and TV Presenters behind the dirty deals, having been trapped by our underground female writer who pretended to be an upcoming artiste. We shall also expose the Ugandan artistes who made it big through paying and through exchanging their bodies for airplay.
For our Luganda readers, here’s what kakensa Henry Ndugwa had to say:
“Kati e Uganda bwoba omuyimbi omupya strategy eriwo okusobola okufunira enyimba zo airplay kwesiba ku bu radio buno obupya obukyezimba. Teri luyimba lukubwa ku radio ennene nga nyinilwo tasasudde bakozi ba radio, Buli lwewabaawo forthcoming launch enyimba zomuyimbi aba akola launch teziva ku radio ennene lwakuba promoter aba asasudde. This frustrates talented upcoming musician who dont have money to pay and hence many girls have exchanged sex for this favor. Its no longer about talent but CASH.”