Malawi launches first music magazine
The magazine is part of a business venture established last year by Nyimbo Music Company (NMC) and the publishers have said they are 46 years late.
"Despite the fact that Malawi prides itself with a rich music tradition, there sadly has never been a music magazine in the 46 years of the nation's history," says the editorial of the magazine's first issue.
Chairman of NMC, Daud Suleiman, says the magazine is the first step they are taking into the print media and it will carry everything musical in Malawi.
'Establishing a trusted source'
"...We are establishing a trusted source of news, music reviews, artist profiles, business trends in the local industry, a celebration of our legends and many more issues that are a part of the local music fabric," declared Suleiman.
Magazine publication has proven to be a major challenge in Malawi and the team that is putting together Nyimbo music magazine seems to be anticipating turbulent tides as they journey across the media landscape.
The editorial starts by asking the same question "Why ...introduce a music magazine in a market that can hardly sustain generic magazines?"
"It is not common to see a music magazine on Malawian bookshelves, so this is either genius or dumb," declares the editorial, "But if you are reading this copy, we must be treading on firm ground."
Success
The first show on the shelves of most bookshops has proven to be a success for the magazine which is selling at K500 (US$3.4 - about R28) a copy.
The magazine has also been attractively designed and is heavily pregnant with adverts. The 50 paged has its 15 pages taken away by advertisers which is not a bad start for a newly launched magazine trying to get its feet.
The fist issue of the magazine carries stories of the most famous local music talent as well as two prominent Malawian musicians in Diaspora; Eric Paliani (currently a part of the iconic South African Afro Jazz grandmaster Hugh Masekela's touring band) and the US-based Masauko Chipembere.
About Gregory Gondwe
Gregory Gondwe is a Malawian journalist who started writing in 1993. He is also a media consultant assisting several international journalists pursuing assignments in Malawi. He holds a Diploma and an Intermediate Certificate in Journalism among other media-related certificates. He can be contacted on moc.liamg@ewdnogyrogerg. Follow him on Twitter at @Kalipochi.
