YET AGAIN MALAWI MISSES OUT AT THIS YEAR’S CHANNEL O AFRICA MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS

Once again Malawian musicians have failed to make the list of this year’s Channel O Africa Music Video Awards nominations.

Apart from hip hop artist Tay Grin who had received nominations in the past years and won in a collaboration song with Zimbabwe’s Buffalo Souljah, no other Malawian artists has ever managed to get a nomination in these popular awards.

A press release from Channel O has seen South African and new kid in the hip hop streets Cassper Nyovest, K.O and Davido leading with the most nominees this year. They all have five nominations each.

Nyovest has got nominations in among others Most Gifted Male Video and Most Gifted Newcomer Video categories while Davido represents west.

Africa with his impressive nominations for the track ‘Aye’ which dominated in four categories while ‘Skelewu’ earned him a comfortable spot in the Most Gifted Dance Video category.

The awards are even difficult for Malawian artists to receive nominations as there are no music videos of them airing on Channel O.

Artists receive nominations basing on the songs that play on Channel O.

Last year when quizzed as to why artists from other countries including Malawi do not have their music videos played on Channel O, Channel O Africa Manager Leslie Kasumba said artists from other countries were not forthcoming and sending their music videos.

But many local artists in the country have come in to say that they have been sending their music videos but they do not see the light of the day.

MultiChoice Malawi Sales and Marketing Manager Chimwemwe Nyirenda also admitted last year that they have been sending music videos which they receiving from local artists but they are not used.

Journalists at an Africa Showcase in Mauritius in June criticised platforms like Channel O and Africa Magic for being biased, favouring other countries.

But Kasumba denied last year that they were biased towards any country but she rather said sometimes they do not compromise on quality. But lately many countries including Malawi have improved on their music videos and there are music videos that appear on Channel O that are not better than some music videos from Malawi.