Radio, dwasdeur jou porridge #WorldRadioDay

13 February is World Radio Day. A day we celebrate the power of radio in our lives. This year UNESCO’s theme for the day is “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”.

We thought it appropriate that we ask our listeners, supporters, trainees and everyone who has used the medium to send us whatsapp video clips (because community radio moves with the times).

We received clips from listeners, Alternative Radio, BBC, activists, media professionals, editors and artists. The range of the responses we received clearly shows that Bush Radio lives up to this year’s theme of “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”. More than just being one of the most sort after training radio stations, it truly is building bridges between the various communities we serve.

Watch some of the clips online via our YouTube channel.

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All the action from #SONA2019

The State of the Nation address is a busy time for Bush Radio. It is usually the first major news event that our trainees cover. Our coverage has evolved from simply doing radio to producing videos, live tweeting and photography. Watch the playlist below:

Dear Mr President #SONA2019

President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to deliver his State of the Nation address on Thursday, 7 February 2019.

If you had a chance to ask President Ramaphosa to address one thing that bothers you about South Africa, what would that be and why?

Please send us your input via whatsapp to +27618621065 (video or voice messages)

Working at Radio Station and what it taught me.

The following was written by Maryam Adhikarie on her blog about her experience as an intern. (Reposted with permission)

It has been months since I updated my blog and it feels really good to get back into the swing of things. Consequently, a few months ago I applied for my first ever real Journalistic job in media. I’d never ever thought any sort of job would change me as much as a person as working in the media industry.

Just finished my 1st year final assignments and rushed over to catch a ride to head over to an interview I never thought I would have gotten. With no prior experience to what an actual interview entails I sat sweating on the seat taking a look at the surroundings and tried not to look like this was my first time.

Think of any police, bad cop, good cop type of scenario where they interrogate the suspect. It felt and looked like that with the interviewer asking questions and the room with the glass windows. I was very unsure on how to behave and the teenager in me at the time could not stop fidgeting. It was a process that I felt took an eternity.

I got the golden phone call, and soon was in training alongside my newly wed colleagues. Thrown straight into editing as much sound as we possibly could. It was a painstaking process of editing sound that I assure you no intern liked, however, it would benefit us immensely later when it came to collecting sound.

From editing we were taken outside, which we appreciated. What we did outside was collect sound from people on the streets. A basic question on current affairs asked to as much as people as you can get on record, called a Vox Pops. This is where we learnt how to approach people properly to get there opinions on anything such as sex, sport, politics to circumcision.

I thoroughly enjoyed asking people out on the streets on there opinions about things. It showed me a different perspective on things and made me more knowledgeable about how people think, enforcing the fact that not everyone thinks the same. There are instances where I would not agree with what the person is saying, however, I would reiterate in my mind that it is not my job to disagree, my job is to get a balanced story.

A balanced story is not something I was well equipped for when I started. I had to learn what a balanced story entails. There was so much learning that had to be done, not that my first year of Journalism did not prepare me enough, it is that there is certain things you have to learn in the field when your are thrown into the deep end.

University in essence is a safety net, you can make mistakes, whereas in the media industry or more specifically radio, your name as well as the company is on the line and that is where the pressure comes from. You repeat a year or a module if you fail at University and that is really no ‘biggie’, but in the media industry if you do mess up you may not have a job the next day and no media company would want to hire you after that. Protect your name.

Radio, specifically, sounds pretty easy when you listen to it, however, think of radio as a piano keyboard, anyone can sit down and press down onto the keypads but how terrible will that sound to the ears. You need to know what you doing and it does takes loads of practice. This is called engineering.

Watching presenters engineer for themselves, playing jingles, playing sound and multitasking was an honor to watch. I laugh as I write this sentence because I soon had to engineer for myself and that was, personally, for me, the most difficult but the most rewarding when I knew how. I felt like a puppet controlling the air waves and controlling what you heard, it was and will probably always be the best.

In the couple of months that I was there, news was pouring out of every corner and it would be overwhelming at first. But, overtime you would get familiar with the influx and amount of work put in to bring out your best story. You would learn how to work alongside people. I learnt that you wont be an expert at first everything takes time, some more than others, have patience.

Other than hardship, stress and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, you also get to meet fellow presidents, ministers and politicians. Particularly in radio, because of the type of radio station I worked at you get to meet loads of different types of people from chefs to singers and dj’s, you really get a nice blend.

Read the original blog post and follow Maryam’s journey on twitter.

Win a tech hamper worth R9000.

Would you like to win a tech hamper worth R9000 courtesy of Simplified IT Services? Watch the video and follow the instructions.

How to enter:

1. Like and share the Simplified IT Services Facebook page
2. Post a video nominating who you think should win, while using the word ‘Simplified’ at least once in your video. (30 seconds max)
3. Tag our page and use the hashtag #SITSGivesBack when posting your video
4. Please note deadline date for the competition on the 12th February at 2019 at noon.

The winner will be announced live on Bush Radio 89.5FM, 13 February 2019 during The Breakfast Rush 6-9am with Yuzriq Meyer.

Make your democracy work for you #register

Our team recently did a vox pop on whether people will be voting or not.

Concerned by the negative responses and with the final registration weekend coming up we asked the Provincial Electoral Officer for the Electoral Commission of South Africa, Reverend Courtney Sampson to speak with us and give us some input.

We at Bush Radio would like to encourage everyone who is eligible to go out and register to vote and check their details on the voter’s roll.

You don’t have to know who you will vote for yet, but without being on the voter’s roll you can’t exercise your right to vote.

Democracy is not a spectator sport, you have to participate to make a change.

We will keep you up-to-date with #election2019 via our debates and other discussions in order to assist you in making your decision

 

Light a candle

2019 is going to be an interesting year for all of us. Instead of cursing the darkness, let us all light a candle, build bridges and walk together.

Get experience in our newsroom

Bush Radio has places available in its newsroom for volunteer recruits.

Read the following carefully!

*** This is NOT a call for DJs, music show presenters or newsreaders***

Are you:

• Interested in developing news that matters to the Cape Flats?
• Curious, adventurous, always looking for a story, willing to hunt down a source, energetic?
• Able to speak, write and read in English & Afrikaans or Xhosa?
• Willing to explore new frontiers in media?
• Able to work hard in a challenging environment?

Would you like to learn how to:

• Record sound, conduct interviews, compile bulletins, read bulletins, take pictures, record video, cover events and test your skills LIVE to a listening and online audience of over 375 000 people.
• Develop what it means to be journalist in a changing news environment?

If your answer to the above is yes, then a volunteer news trainee position in the Bush Radio newsroom is for you. (Download application form)

Things to pay attention to:

• You will be required full-time with shifts (06h00 – 14h00 and 10h00 –18h00) – 5 days a week, including weekend and public holiday shifts.
• You must be available to start in January 2019.
• You will not receive payment! This is a full-time trainee position at Africa’s leading community radio station.
• Transport allowance of R500 per month for 3 months (probation), increased to R 1000 thereafter, non-negotiable for 9 months.
• Students attending class should not apply.
• Candidates must be computer literate.
• Candidates must be Cape Town based.
• Understand, write and read English and one other language (Afrikaans or Xhosa)
• Shortlisted candidates will be put through a combination interview, written test (for computer skills, language, general knowledge) and a voice test at a specified date in December 2018.

How to submit your application:

1. Download and complete the CV Application, attach documentation (certificates etc)
2. In the the subject line write: (name) and (surname) – Newsroom trainee January 2019
3. Email completed application form to news2019@bushradio.co.za

Application deadline: 5 December 2018 (no late applications will be considered)

Bush Radio reserves the right not to make an appointment – Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted – No correspondence will be entered into. If you have been contacted within one week of the closing date you should consider your application unsuccessful.

Bush Radio is the oldest volunteer driven community radio station project in Africa

Read more

Counting down to those Black Friday sales?

It seems that everyone is counting down the days to “Black Friday” sales.

According to the Reserve Bank, consumer debt currently stands at R1.7-trillion, with a study by the World Bank revealing that about 25 million South African adults owe money.

We would like to ask our listeners to avoid getting  caught by sales gimmicks and false discounts. Remember to plan for the necessities  for  the  months  ahead  like  your  rent, bond, food and transport.

Do not get yourself into unnecessary debt.

Some advice from the National Credit Regulator:

• If it is on sale and you buy it on credit, remember that interest and fees will push up the price. Therefore, cash is king for sale items.
• Don’t spend what you don’t have this  means  do not  live  beyond your  means and don’t buy if you haven’t budgeted;
• Set a realistic budget of what you can afford to spend at the beginning of your Black Friday/Christmas shopping and stick to it;
• Don’t shop in a hurry, without a plan and place everything on your credit/ store card;
• Plan carefully and pay particular attention to your budget, especially bearing in mind the additional expenses that come with the new year;
• Have  a  shopping  list  to  avoid  buying  unnecessary  items if you don’t need it now, chances  are  you  may  never  need  it. So  a void  wasting  your  time  and  hard earned money
• If  you  want  to  begin  the  New  Year  in  a financially  sound  position, be  aware  of  how you spend your money during this period and save for the New Year;
• Do  a  budget  for  the  festive  season  which includes all  debt,  rent,  electricity,  water, insurance, transport, gifts, school uniform, stationery, entertainment etc;
• Don’t blow your bonus on treats. Spend Wisely and rather pay off your debts;
• Shop around for specials and compare prizes; Spend wisely tomorrow and during the festive season and enjoy a financially relaxed and  peaceful  new  year.

Remember  that  if  you  choose  to  ignore  your  budget  and break the bank on Black Friday or max out your credit cards for festive shopping you may be headed for a bleak 2019.

Related videos:

 

Rewinding in the (open) streets

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A big thanks to Cazz, Sive, Yuzriq all the Bush Radio listeners who came out to participate in our marathon Retro-Rewind Open Streets Woodstock broadcast on Sunday, 28 October 2018 in Main Road, Woodstock.

Thanks to Abdu Mohamed who submitted the pictures for us.

We hope to see you at the next Open Streets Event, where we hope to have even more fun and exchange around spatial planning, transport and access for all Capetonians.