Artists and music practitioners have come out to voice their concerns regarding payola, a term used in the broadcasting industry, where artists pay a bribe to music compilers and radio presenters – including programming managers and station managers – to get their music more airplay so that the artists can earn royalties.
This reaction comes after Sunday World had published a story two Sundays ago that Lesedi FM, the SABC’s Sesotho radio station based in Bloemfontein and broadcast in Free State, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Lesotho, fired its music compiler and radio presenter, Phinel “DJ Finzo” Sefatsa after he allegedly took payola from the Gesh Lido, a Bothaville music band.
Admitted that artists paid him cash
Finzo was sent packing by Lesotho-born Lesedi FM programmes manager Mannini Nyokong. This was after he admitted that Gesh Lido had paid money. The “short and sweet” radio star had stated that the cash he received was for the gig he was booked for, not payola.
This week, veteran musicians such as gospel singers William Mthethwa and Paul Lechalaba revealed that Lesedi FM was “rotten to the core”. They claim the rot runs from management to the security guards when it comes to corruption.
Mthethwa did not mince his words on Wednesday when he spoke to this publication. He said that he had warned Finzo many times about taking payola. The artist had warned him that one day, he would get caught.
“I have been warning that boy many times about his tendency of taking money from the artists as a favour for them to their music in the Lesedi FM playlist. Finzo never listened and he became big-headed and arrogant. When I tried to engage him, he would shout at me as if I was a small boy. He would shout at me and tell me that he was in meetings or busy.
Artists welcome the development
“I even spoke to Mannini about challenges faced by us as Sesotho gospel musicians. I told her that our music was not played by Lesedi FM. But she kept on saying that the matter will be dealt with. Now, as Free State musicians, we are happy that this whole thing has been exposed. That some artists pay payola to have their music played, while those who do not comply get sidelined,” said Mthethwa.
He claimed that it was a trend at the station that presenters, music compilers and management where colluding in the payola issue.
“Radio presenters at Lesedi FM are also involved in this payola drama. They tell music compilers and the station management that they want certain songs in their shows. There is one gospel artist who is very famous around the country, from Free State, whose music is played always in that radio station. He is even being showered with praises all the time by this veteran radio presenter after he had played his music. Lesedi FM is rotten, and we did everything to build that station when it was called Radio Sesotho. But now we are treated badly as if we are disgusting,” said Mthethwa.
Dj accused of arrogance over the issue
Lechalaba, who is also a bishop of Emmanuel Ministry church, also echoed the same sentiments. He said that he once met Dj Finzo at OR Tambo International Airport in a flight from Gauteng to Bloemfontein.
“I engaged Finzo about the issue of my music not being played by Lesedi FM. And he told me that my music was old. I was surprised by his response. And I asked him why the music of the likes of Marvin Gaye and others’ music was played even though it’s old’. He told me that I was not like those people. As it happened, I also spoke to Mannini about this challenge of my music not being played. But she kept on saying that the matter will be fixed. However, nothing had come to the fore. I am glad that you have reported about this. And the SABC should start investigating the payola trend at all radio stations it owns. It is not just a thing happening at Lesedi FM, it’s all over,” said Lechalaba.
Industry stakeholders want criminal case
Vusi Leeuw, president of the South African Music Industry Council, said: “Payola is a cancer in the music industry. It has destroyed, and still destroys many artists and independent labels’ lives, affecting their families as well.
“If the SABC has fired an employee for payola, we believe that they should also open a criminal case, since payola is an act of corruption. The SABC, as a government entity, needs to set a good example by reporting the information they have to the police and/or hawks and continue to eradicate payola.”
Free State Music Association chairperson Ayanda Roda said that his organisation was also against the trend of payola.
Calls for accountability
“We are always advocating for transparency when it comes to music airplay. Payola is bad and we are against it. Those found to have participated in payola should be charged,” said Roda.
Meanwhile, this reporter was threatened by DJ Finzo’s brother, Collen Sefatsa, who called him and said that he will hunt him down and deal with him for writing the payola story about the axed radio presenter.
