70% airplay not doable

Local artists have banded together demanding 70% airplay on radio stations across Namibia. This week tjil contacted several radio stations to get their view on the issue. Radio Energy's station manager Joseph Ailonga said his station plays 45% local music as they do not have enough music within all the genres to play a full 100%. When it comes to choosing playlists, some of the factors Energy considers include quality and commercial viability, as the songs need to be in line with their target market. “The music being released today… its quality is good and its commercially viable enough but it lacks depth and doesn't last long, thus there is always a new guy/girl with a new hot record to be played,” said Ailonga.Asked if advertisers play a role in which music Radio Energy plays, Ailonga says they have no bearing on their playlist unless it has to do with their campaigns. “At the end of the day they want a station that stands for its principles and has the numbers within the target market they play in. It's a numbers game and it's the listener that dictates where to go and what to play. Understanding them gives you an opportunity to tap into their domain and advertisers want that,” he said.In conclusion, Ailonga says the 70% airplay request is a good idea but artists must learn to be practical and realistic about what they want. He pointed out things that need to be considered including listenership, the availability of music to be played, and radio station target markets. “We don't have the music to fulfil the 45% quota on Energy 100fm, how do we satisfy a 70% quota? We have established radio stations with a diverse listenership from different backgrounds, needing a specific type of playlist. Do we have the capacity to fill that gap? Where are the artists within the target market of Radio Wave, Hit Radio, Kosmos and many others? Or do we simply want to force those radio stations to change their formats to suit the Namibian music sector for purely royalties,” he questioned. He added that radio stations are businesses that need to survive in order for an artist to survive and thus pressuring radio stations into playing what is not of their target market will eventually eliminate them. He urges local artists to make music of all genres to satisfy the quotas then the argument about the 70% can be realistic. “For now artists have no leg to stand on because if any of those radios asked for their music and it must meet their standards then they will not be able to provide it. Let's make good music and it will all come together, besides the percentage of local versus international wasn't so bad at all based on the figures I read,” he said.There was no response from radio stations Mixed FM, Shipi FM, Channel 7, Hit Radio and Plant Radio stations at the time of going to print.JUNE SHIMUOSHILI

70% airplay not doable

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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70% airplay not doable

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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