Hologram sensitization raises dust

Government’s deliberate sensitization campaign on the Hologram has drawn a blank after traders of the commodity say that the period for the exercise is not enough.

The traders appreciated the Hologram but pointed out concerns among them the time frame for its implementation and the price.

One of them , Steve Mapulanga said having the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services to be the only place to manage the hologram,  will only cause delay in the process and consequentially affect their business.

Mr Mapulanga said arising from past experience most public institutions have a tendency of poor work culture where simple processes take days to be concluded.

ZANIS reports that the trader said this during a meeting with Ministry of Information and broadcasting Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga in Lusaka today.

His  counterpart  Maybin Kasonde said more time was needed for the traders to dispose of their products which do not have the hologram adding that the traders expect to use the same money from selling off their products to push for orders for the hologram CDs.

And Association of Audio Video and CD dealers in Zambia  ( AAVCDZ ) chairperson Norton Mukosha said the hologram would benefit the industry favourably as companies like Mondo music would be revamped which collapsed due to high levels of piracy in the country.

Addressing their concerns, Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga says government wants to facilitate opportunities in the creative sector to benefit not only traders but all stakeholders like the public, musicians, and government.

Mr. Malupenga assured that the hologram was meant to curb piracy and improve investment in the sector refuting that it was not meant to punish them.

He  told the members that owners of original works needed to reap benefits from the efforts as a way of improving and sustaining their living conditions.

The Permanent Secretary affirmed that the government would continue to engage several stakeholders in a bid to iron out any issues before the hologram is launched.

The hologram is a security feature to be affixed on all genuine CDs, DVDs and other such media to distinguish original audio and visual products from pirated ones.

It will be officially launched on 16th September this year by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Arts.

Meanwhile, Mr. Malupenga has called on the members for further dialogue through their chairperson Mr Mukosha.

The permanent Secretary has also called on local Musician Dandy Krazy to dialogue with the government disclosing that plans are there to adopt him as an ambassador for the fight against piracy.