Thokozani Ncikazi

South Africa

News24 User

'Community radio needs supoort'

by Thokozani Ncikazi

2009-07-10 13:55

Dear Editor,

The community radio industry has seen miraculous growth since its inception after the 1994 elections, this despite a continued lack of support from government and business.

Over the years the sector has managed to produce some of the industry's best, yet gets very little recognition.

Recent listenership figures have seen the sector moving to just above seven million overriding most national radio stations, which are well-funded and able to generate income.

This phenomenal growth can only be attributed to exceptional work put up by volunteers and slow paced growing faith from business.

It's however very disappointing that the government has not seen the need to fund and ensure that this industry blossoms, all the government sees is a tool that it can abuse and regulate harshly.

The way I see it the department of communication has to have a certain budget dedicated to uplifting the sector just like they do with the SABC.

Besides the fact that community radio stations are section 21 companies, they are expected to perform exactly like the public a broadcaster especially by the government.

Financial allocations to structures such as the MDDA have to increase; some of the government advertising must be spent on community radio stations.

Most of government spending has gone to commercial and public institutions that are already well-off and have means of making money while with community radio a free service is always expected, totally unfair.

If this sector has to continue producing best radio personalities and informing communities on the ground, government has to ensure its survival.

Thokozani Ncikazi

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Add your view to this conversation - comment below

I don’t remember gov abusing anything like you said (what the government sees is a tool that it can abuse and regulate harshly.) And I cant even remember the last time I listened to Radio….. its fine if the gov doesn’t help you…. Your attitude is bad!

One reason I have stopped listening to a Christian (community) radio station in Durban is that it has been in a sense hijacked and steered in the new managements own direction (not the community’s) + in order to be politically correct it has different languages and employs people that cannot speak English for example – why can’t they employ English speaking people to do the English speaking segments, news etc. It’s pathetic to listen to this primary school pronunciation of words. And before you pull out the “race” card” its about language – I would not expect a radio station to employ a White person to do the Zulu news so why employ a Zulu person to do the English news?

Well from the fact that there are so many spelling and grammer mistakes, I think the government should spend more money on education first! ;) Just teasing, I also think that this will be a worthy way for government to spend money.

I hear you. I think also government should fund all small farmers, local dance groups, churches and local amateur soccer, rugby and cricket teams. Really now. Can some one do something out of personal pleasure with out blaming government? The next thing you will want government to subsidies prostitute, because they are saving marriages. If community radios are a section 21, then wait the lotto queue, just like all section 21s.

I agree with the financial needs but are the community radio stations viable and informative like they used to be? I do not know which stats you have, but mine reflected a decrease in numbers. community radio stations must sustain themselves through advertising and external sponsors. I stopped listening to them because the only information you get is which nightclub will be open or which gangster makes more than others

At least the Zulu guys doing the English programs have tried to learn a foreign language. In your entire lifetime up to now, have you ever tried to learn Zulu, or do you think its is not important to learn to speak a local black language?You cannot expect a Zulu speaker to sound like the Queen of England, neither do most English outside the UK.

When certain communities start radio stations, they are actively repressed. Radio Pretoria and Radio Rippel are only able to broadcast because of a court interdict stopping the government from shutting down the stations through not issuing them licenses to broadcast. Another case of all animals being equal, but some being more equal than others.
I don't even listen to either of these stations myself, as I don't find their content interesting, but it's the principle of the thing.

For the first time I agree with your comments on these blogs. Well done. There is still some hope for you. lol. Just kidding. There are far more important things for gov to worry about that some radio station.

Please stop asking our wonderful government to fund things for the community, they are way to busy renaming everything and self enriching theselves through illegal tenders. They are very busy so leave them alone.

I don't know whether Thokozani is involved with community radio or not, but I am..and I can tell him that most community stations have in fact been funded by the government, in terms of supplying studios and equipment and in terms of advertising through GCIS. Ultimately though it's up to individual stations to ensure they're self-sustaining through advertising, sponsorships and marketing. And that means good programming, which in turn brings in listeners and money. For those who don't know, there are about 130 community stations in the country, the biggest of which is Jozi FM with about half a million listeners - the same as 702. At the other end of the scale there are many with less than 10 000 listeners, mainly as a result of poor management, nepotism - the usual. For the record, I manage a station called TUT Top Stereo. We're on 93.6 FM and our signal reaches the whole of greater Tshwane.

I see you spew your racist comments on all these blogs. Have you never heard the saying "If you cannot say something nice, don't say anything at all". Maybe you should try it. And you are right, it is not important to learn a local black language. Where am I going to use it.... Europe?

I don't listen to any radio station, much more prefer my CD's. But in Joe's defence, he was not asking that the reporter sound like the queen, where you all got that from beats me. He was merely saying that he stopped listening to the community radio as he was frustrated with the poor english on radio. And I have to agree with him, one of the reasons why I will not listen to the radio as well. Why employ a zulu speaking person to do the english reporting, unless he/she has had adequite voice training let him rather report in his/her mother tongue. And vice versa. There is nothing more frustrating than listening to someone live on air struggling with the words. This is not about race people, so don't make it about race, for once listen and hear what the person is saying before kicking up a storm.

@POliodonki - you obviously don't have a motor vehicle if you can't remember when last you listened to a radio - because the simple reason is that all makes of cards come standard with a radio - or son't you know where the button is and did you perhaps get your licence in an OK Lucky packet? Or buy one from the bent cop?

I have to agree with Bongani - sign up for the lotto handouts for additional funds and good luck with that cause their administration is really incompetent combined with government red tape. Government is way behind and has far more important issues to contend with than caring about local radio development that should be an industry on its own - perhaps privatisation is the better route to go after all where did government interference get the SABC?. As for learning a black language, when I was at school we were given a couple of years study but in all honesty our teachers did not take it seriously and if they didn't how could we? I agree it would be beneficial for kids from grade 1 to learn one black language however the way government is going I am wondering if they wouldn't be better off learning Chinese?

Beware of asking government to intervene in anything. If you love your community radio station, create a facebook fan page for them and/or mention them in your blog. be sure to include their frequency/amplitude.

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Johannesburg

Thokozani Ncikazi

'Community radio needs supoort'

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