To enhance sector: Cameroon Music Council strategises to build economically viable industry.

The meeting was to present the development plan for the music industry and brainstorm on the possible ways to boost the industry.

The meeting was part of a CCM project focusing on the structuring the music industry in Cameroon and reviewing the progress made so far. It is being supported by the French Cooperation. 

The development plan presented, which will take stock of the state of the music industry in Cameroon, contains proposed solutions and a strategic action plan to build a balanced and economically viable music industry. 

Stating the reason for the CCM and how it came about to help the music industry grow, the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of CCM, Charles Elame, said: "The basis for the introduction of the Cameroon Music Industry development plan was the work of the music workshops held in Douala with sixty-five music producers, broadcasters and promoters from all over Cameroon”. 

“These meetings helped to identify the problems, and it was on the basis of these problems that we developed the rest of the study and the mapping of this industry. We have a database of 5,000 people, including artists, producers and musicians who are already listed,” Elame added. 

He added that: “The mapping of this industry will enable the committee to identify the areas of music in Cameroon, identifying producers, promoters, communicators and those who distribute music”. 

During the meeting, emphasis was also laid on the fundamental element to demonstrate the level of structuring of the music industry and its impact on both the state and donors. 

Acknowledging the readiness of their development plan, Elame said the document is ready and only needs the approval of committee members to review and accept for the commencement of the project.

"The document has been written, it's ready, but like any book, it needs to be reread, we need to call in musicologists who weren't involved in writing it, we need to be challenged, we need to exchange ideas. We've completed the book, but we need these reviewers; we need the ingredients we've put into it to be solidified by other experts who didn't work on the project. And when the critical review is completed in a month's time, we'll be able to publish the book,” Elame said. 

Why advisory committee was created 

The advisory committee, it was disclosed, was set up by the president of the Cameroon Music Council and his vice presidents with the aim of putting together a team to write a book about the development of Cameroonian music industry. 

The committee is made up of experts in various fields, including those with knowledge of music, research firms, directors of well-known digital music platforms, and marketing and strategic consultants. 

The team of about nine people was to set up several pools of people carrying out research, analysis, commentary and proofreading, for the success of the project. 

The six-month project is divided into three major stages to produce the draft of the framework document and provide a diagnosis of the situation as well as the strategic avenues and axes for the development of the music industry. 

The first phase of the project took place from February 8 to 10, 2024 in Douala, to take stock of the music industry, and the second phase took place from March 18 to 21, 2024 in Yaoundé, alongside the Yaounde Music Expo, YAMEX.

The third phase will consist of optimising the capacities of some thirty professionals selected in phase one.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Issue No:3159 of Friday July 5, 2024