CD and DVD printing company Jetline Discmakers has become the latest music firm to shut its doors as music lovers migrate to online streaming in droves.
Jetline Discmakers, which manufactures compact discs, which was CD stands for, and packaged recorded DVDs and CDs, announced its immediate closure through a message sent to different stakeholders including artists after operating for 15 years.
In the SMS, Jetline Discmakers asked for artists to come and collect their masters and art work urgently. Though the company did not want to reveal the reason behind its closure, it is believed the decline in CD sales could be the reason.
A woman who only identified herself as Chantel at Jetline Discmakers marketing and promotions department said: “Yes, Jetline Discmakers is shutting down and this was its last week operating.”
The closure is a big blow for many jazz, maskandi and gospel artists who still print CDs. Jetline's demise follows that of music shops like Musica, Reliable Music, and Look & Listen in recent years.
Music expert Stanley Khoza argued that as much as the music industry embraces digital migration it was not making enough money for artists. Khoza said for many years music sales allowed artists to earn a good living.
“With digital downloads artists can make about R30,000 when they have received over half-a-million streams. That R30,000 is not enough for you to buy a house. With CDs, if you sell 5,000 CDs at R100 you get your R250,000,” he said.
“It’s sad when they close the disc-making plant because it means that people are going to lose jobs. Artists are still printing and selling on their own. This requires our government to step in and save the industry, otherwise we will continue hearing good music and not getting something out of it. I know the sales are not that great but there are artists who were still printing CDs and selling them when they perform at different places.”
Gospel icon Sipho Makhabane said he was affected because he has been working with the company for 10 years.
“It is sad because we have fans who still want a signed CD especially in the gospel industry. I was printing CDs with them to sell when I perform at different places. This means I have to look elsewhere now.”
Award-winning gospel singer and producer Takkie Ndou said the closure of Jetline did not come as a shock at all.
“In the past four years CD sales declined by 70% long before Covid-19 started. That is why when Covid-19 came I joined the rest in embracing digital. Even the radio we have in cars no longer play CDs, it is time to migrate officially.”
Maskandi artist Mthandeni Manqele said: “If the closure is true it will affect me directly. I work with them and I normally print about 16,000 copies. They had resources because they could print 11,000 in a week which I sell for R100 each. This 11,000 normally goes to all my fans in different branches. My fans still believe in a hard copy and they take the CD sleeve and frame it. This means I will have to print in the small printers.”
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