Bush Radio’s Managing Director Brenda Leonard gave the committee members and MDDA a tour of the station and after that gave a short presentation on the state of community media in South Africa.
Chairperson of the committee, Sikhumbuzo Eric Kholwane being interviewed
Some of the challenges that Bush Radio highlighted in the presentation included: Sentech-transmission cost, SAMRO‘s-calculation of fees, SAARF‘s research methodology and accuracy, the funding structure of community media in South Africa, as well as issues around the advertising industry and the current state of development of the community media sector.
After the presentation Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications Sikumbuzo Eric Kholwane thanked Bush Radio for being a long and outstanding example of a community radio station. He added that he is grateful that Bush Radio is still holding the fort, and a great example to coming generation.
MPs and other members of the delegation listening to the Bush Radio briefing
Member of Parliament and Chief Whip of the Committee on Communications Annelize van Wyk said Bush Radio is a better example of a community radio. Van Wyk added that Bush Radio serves as a blueprint of what community radio stations need.
MP Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen (left) making notes during the briefing
TVA (The Villianous Animators) - Mantis, Mak1 and Falko preparing a piece on the Bush Radio building
In 2002 in response to a proposed by-law and media reports (see: Cape Town vows to rub out graffiti artists) on the outlawing of graffiti in Cape Town, Bush Radio and members of the Hip Hop community organised several protests to highlight their concerns.
One of the protests involved creating a piece on the Bush Radio building.
If you would like to stand a chance of winning in this lucky draw, sms COMEDY and your name to 32158 by no later than 1pm on Tuesday the 17th of January. The winners names will be announced in Backchat with Bassie after 2pm.
While planning to undertake a major transition to digital in 2012, Bush Radio, AKA “The Mother of Community Radio”, recently found themselves in a position where an interim studio upgrade was urgently required in order to maintain quality broadcasts.
The stations on air studio has been in service for many years and critical items such as the mixing console and CD players have surpassed their useful working life and are close to failure. To avoid the risk of disappointing their listeners with poor quality or interrupted broadcasts, an appropriate solution that targeted technically weak areas was urgently required. To implement this, Bush Radio contracted Buck Broadcast to supply and install key new equipment while undertaking a major service and calibration of their existing systems.
The Soundcraft MBI Series 5 which Bush Radio used for more than 110 000 hours of use (1994-2011)
The upgraded* studio features a new Soundcraft console and Tascam CD players
In addition to the the installation of a new Soundcraft modular broadcast mixing console and two Tascam CD players, all existing studio equipment was removed, cleaned, serviced and reinstalled within a four-day period. Furthermore, customized wiring looms and system interconnects were fabricated and installed. After a smooth switchover from their back up studio, the new system has been met with enthusiasm from the many presenters who have struggled along with the old equipment for so long.
Rewired, serviced and running
Buck Broadcast looks forward to the opportunity of implementing a more comprehensive digital solution in the year to come but in the meantime are satisfied that Bush Radio now has a more reliable interim system in place to see them though to the digital phase.
On the 13th December 2011 at 8pm on Connected 2 Jazz ((13 December 2011 at 8pm), Nigel Vermaas will be paying tribute to the late Zim Ngqawana (25 December 1959 – 10 May 2011).
Some of Bush Radio’s regular listeners entered the annual Twilight Team Run. Besides our regulars, there were quite a few new faces who were quite impressed with the package we put together.
Bush Radio 89.5 FM will be providing coverage of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to various radio stations and other media organisations in South Africa and around the world for the duration of the conference (28 November – 9 December 2011) in Durban.
You will be able to access updates, audio, video and pictures via the Bushradionews platform or by following us on Twitter and searching here #COP17.
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