* Bush Radio is publishing the full press statement below issued by concerned community radio station managers in the interests of the community radio sector
13 April 2018
Sentech action gags community radio – A call to protect this valuable resource of community radio which provides media access to marginalised peoples.
More than 6 community radio stations across the country – including Hope FM, Forte FM and Karabo FM – are no longer broadcasting to their communities because their Sentech accounts are in arrears. Dozens of other stations are receiving threatening letters saying they face a “suspension of their services” if they do not pay up immediately.
“We asked to make a payment arrangement with Sentech, but the company’s expectations for a payment plan were unrealistic,” Duncan Sinthumule, Station Manager from Karabo FM in Free State says.
Sentech then declined the payment plan offered by the Karabo FM and wanted the station to pay R116,458.00 “immediately” with monthly payments of R52,152.90 for 18 months until the debt is settled.
”We cannot even afford to pay R15,000.00 per month, how will we be able to stick to their payment plan?” Sinthumule said.
As non-profit entities, community radio stations are expected to raise their own funds through advertising, sponsorship and fundraising.
The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), a SOE created with the mandate to amongst others “promote media development and diversity by providing support primary to community and small commercial media projects” only receives a small budget from the Department of Communications (DOC), and cannot provide support to over 200 community radio stations in South Africa.
Radio stations have called for a meeting with Minister of Communications Ms Nomvula Mokonyane to discuss the matter, with an expected meeting in the week of April 16.
Our demands follow…
We demand:
- A moratorium on suspension of services by Sentech, and the switching-on of those stations taken off air
- Debt write-off or DOC to release funds for Sentech debt
- Restructuring of Sentech pricing for community radio stations
- An annual grant to community radio stations
These demands are not unreasonable. As community radio stations, we operate under slow-growing economic climate that makes income via advertising very difficult.
Unlike commercial radio stations, we spend our broadcast hours promoting democracy, nationalism, social cohesion, cultural practices, local indigenous languages and local music. We educate, inform and entertain our communities we serve, and do this – in most instances – without any support from the government.
Taking community radio stations off air is an attack on media pluralism, negating the gains made in the media under the democratic government over the past 22 years. It will take us another 20 years to recover from this damage caused by Sentech.
For interviews or more information, contact:
- Hope FM – Ntaps Moteka – 0791667566
- Karabo FM – Duncan Sinthumule – 0735792840
- Forte FM – Siya – 0732515487
- The Rock FM – Kenny Moholobela – 0734861627
- Eden FM – Morne Pietersen – 082 471 6253
- LAFM – Ignatius Mnyamana – 0790679635
Issued by: Bush Radio on behalf of the affected community radio stations
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We were very sorry to hear that Bronwyn van Graan passed away suddenly on Saturday, March 31. Bush Radio would like to extend our condolences to the family and friends of Bronwyn.
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