Charterhouse ready to listen to Kantamanto distributors
Events management firm, Charterhouse have welcome an invitation by Ghana Association of Audiovisual Distributors (GAAD) to play a supporting role in the successful organisation of Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).
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The Kantamanto-based distributors claim their input had been overlooked over the years by Charterhouse but they believe would play an important role in the selection of legitimate winners at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) since their trade puts them in a better position to provide critical market information and sales figures on musical works by VGMA nominees.
Last week, the PRO of GAAD, Yaw Agyapong Britwum, popularly known as Osunku, told the Graphic Showbiz that the VGMA organisers had been handing awards to undeserving artistes since the organisers’ means of choosing winners were questionable.
However, VGMA Board Chairman, Nii Ayittey Hammond, told the Showbiz they were open to any contributions from other stakeholders in the industry for the collective interest of all.
“If GAAD think they can make relevant contributions to VGMA board, then they should send a representative to us. Once that is done, we will decide if their contribution is needed for the good of the awards scheme and we will take it from there,” he stated.
Lamenting the snub by Charterhouse, organisers of the VGMA, the GAAD spokesperson questioned the basis for rating the popularity and sales of musical works by the award winners.
“Every year, there’s an award scheme to honour artistes in the year under review for the works. Since its inception, no one has ever contacted us to find out the number of CDs and even sales these artistes make yet, we give them honours.
“It shouldn’t be about the popularity of the artistes at all. If you think you are an artiste and deserve to win an award, it should be based on the patronage of your CDs and not because you are everywhere when you are not making any sales,” he stated.
For Osunku, GAAD is ever ready to assist Charterhouse to award deserving artistes if their services are sought after since they want deserving artistes to be celebrated for their works and not just “popularity with no impact”.
“After all, we have the figures to prove who deserves what and what. At least, that will help to avoid the controversies that have trailed the awards scheme since its inception”, he said.
Speaking on the challenges of the association, Osunku who mentioned a number of problems was particularly concerned about how the various radio stations abuse the works of artistes without any proper remuneration for the latter’s works.
“We live in a country where radio station in their “test transmission”, play music for a long time to announce their presence.
“ If I’m not exaggerating, these radio stations do test transmissions which can take as long as six months before they start proper transmission. All the while, music holds the forte until they find their feet.”