Reduce CDs price to avert piracy

him for duplicating 200 CDs of his music.
I believe any gospel music lover who received news of Kudzi’s arrest was shocked considering that the artiste himself is very talented and fairly new on the gospel music scene.
I have reason to believe his actions were mainly driven by his desire to increase his income especially at a time like this when royalties that artistes are receiving for their music are hardly enough to give them a sustainable livelihood.

While speaking in a recent interview with The Herald, Kudzi said he needed more CDs of his music to supply his orders adding that Diamond Studios had been failing to supply him with sleeveless CDs as part of his arrangement with the recording company.
“I asked them (Diamond Studios) to supply me with adequate CDs so that I can meet my orders, but they continued to give me all sorts of excuses”.

If his explanations, which were denied by Diamond boss Mr Steady Munyanyi are anything to go by it is possible then that his actions weres only driven by his desire to serve his fans that could either not afford the price of his music in shops.
It also becomes clear that there was poor communication between Kudzi and Diamond Studios as observed from their misunderstanding over the supply of his music for sale.
I think there is need for good relations between artistes and recording companies to avoid confrontations which are damaging to both parties.

Open communication between artistes and their recording companies would also foster a stronger relationship between them, which in my view would also improve the quality of music produced and sold to consumers.
Having said that, Kudzi’s arrest brings back to the fore the issue of piracy which continues to make headlines in Zimbabwe’s various media platforms.

Just recently, the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity, who is also the patron of Zimbabwe Union of Musicians, Cde Webster Shamu, declared war on piracy at the album launch of one of Zimbabwe’s prominent sungura artistes, First Farai, at Plaza de Castilla in Greencroft.
While speaking at the show, Cde Shamu said he would employ different measures to fight piracy, which has become a cancer to the music industry.
The minister also promised that this year would see an end to the scourge of piracy, which has stalled the growth of the arts sector in Zimbabwe.

So far, to a large extent, piracy has only been looked at from the perspective of ordinary vendors or dealers who duplicate and sell pirated local musical CDs usually for a dollar each.
Kudzi’s arrest has given a new dimension to piracy and opened the need to relook at the issue, in order to deal with the problem.

I believe that it will be more prudent for the relevant authorities governing the arts sector to reconsider such issues as royalties that artistes are getting from their recording companies as well as the pricing of local music in Zimbabwe.
Currently, a copy of a local gospel CD is selling for between US$7 and US$10.
Since the bulk of local music consumers are ordinary low-income earners, many cannot afford the prices thus prompting people to buy pirated copies.

If prices of musical CDs were reduced more people would be encouraged to buy from the shops.
This would have far-reaching benefits to the music industry in that a culture of buying original musical CDs from the shops would be inculcated in Zimbabweans.
That development alone will benefit our artistes, because they will not be able to get money from the sale of their music, something which is difficult at the moment.