Asia IP

A ruling by the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry that requires radio stations to play songs by local artists or risk losing their broadcasting licenses was designed to promote the local music industry, said minister Rais Yatim.

“It is to assist the local music industry which has gone from being worth RM201 million (US$63.2 million) in 2005 to RM65 million now,” he told reporters. “Instead of just playing singles from the United States and Europe, it would not hurt (radio stations) to play songs by Siti Nurhaliza, if she produces a new album.”

The directive falls under Section 33 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 and has been enforced since March 1.

Asked if radio station operators had met with him to discuss the ruling, Rais said they had yet to do so, the New Straits Times newspaper said.

“If the owners of the radio stations say no, I’d like to see them,” he said after the launch of a reading campaign in Kuala Lumpur.

The newspaper reported that the Commercial Radio Operators Association has neither agreed nor disagreed to follow the ruling, and wishes to discuss the matter with Rais. “We will show how we have supported local artists by not only playing their songs, but also organized roadshows, concerts and put together endorsement deals,” an association spokesman said, who blamed the drop in sales in part from a shift from CD buying to downloading music online.