Bush Radio, Africa’s oldest community radio station project is in the process of renewing its broadcast and frequency spectrum license.
As part of this process we would like all our listeners, supporters, community organisations and clients to sign a petition to show their support for the application.
You can sign the form online.
Thank you for your support.
Related: Disrupting the media and saluting our roots
At 2pm on the 9 August, 2020, Bush Radio marks the 25th anniversary of broadcasting with a license from the broadcast authority.
Read: Bush Radio, Africa’s oldest community radio station project
9 August 1995 – South Africa’s first National Women’s Day – was chosen because we wanted to honour all the women who had been instrumental in giving rise to the community radio sector and establishing Bush Radio, in particular.
This year COVID19 has proven the importance of community media in helping the fight against the pandemic, by being a vital source of information and supporting the communities we serve through our programming.
Our events to celebrate 25 years of broadcasting were put on hold, but now we have an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve and look towards the next – dare we say it – quarter of a century!
During the pandemic, we can be together via 89.5FM and stream on http://www.bushradio.co.za
Thank you for your support, and keep safe.
Basic protective measures against the Novel #Coronavirus – click here
Official websites for accurate information regarding COVID19:
COVID-19 Corona Virus South African Resource Portal
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.
As South Africa commemorates women’s month in August, we will give rise to a group of every day women with no previous radio or media experience, to take to the airwaves for the very first time. While the radio station is volunteer run and presenters are not remunerated for their services, the women will be given a platform to give a voice to the voiceless and various communities.
The programme, dubbed Ladies Night, was conceptualized on a WhatsApp group between seven friends and will become a reality on Thursday, 3 August 2017 from 7pm. The programme is developed, produced and presented by women and will cover various topics and issues faced by the women in their everyday lives while still being entertaining. The overarching theme is to connect and inspire like-minded people within the diverse communities of the Bush Radio footprint.
The group comprises of Adielah Jacobs, Megan Cookson, Merle Du Plessis, Jodi Gordon, Michele Pinto, Tracy Van Turha and Renee Bailey. The women all come from different backgrounds and are qualified professionals in their own right. Between them various areas are represented law, education, information technology and project management.
Ladies Night on Bush Radio 89.5FM will air for three hours every Thursday evening between 7pm and 10pm for the month of August. The style of the programme is highly conversational but casual and relatable at the same time. Each of the women come from different backgrounds and each brings a uniqueness to the show with their different characteristics.
According to Bush Radio Managing Director, Brenda Leonard: “As we celebrate 22 years of being on-air legally, we are very excited to have this programme. Ladies Night highlights how Bush Radio takes a holistic approach to creating innovative programming and works in collaboration with listeners and potential listeners to bring relevant content to the airwaves.”
Tune into 89.5fm or listen online via http://www.bushradio.co.za
Participate in the programme
WhatsApp: 0832973910
SMS: 32158
Studio: 021 448 6266
Check out our Facebook Page
On Thursday, 27 April 2015, South Africa’s Freedom Day – Everyday People host Sive Msolo will attempt to broadcast for 24 hours straight on 89.5fm and online via www.bushradio.co.za.
He will host all the Thursday programming on Bush Radio 89.5fm from 12am in the morning along with all the regulars as we celebrate Freedom Day 2017 with 24 hours of Freedom.
Besides Sive hosting from the Breakfast Rush to the Level Da Vibes, he will also be highlighting what Freedom Day means and you are invited to call (021 448 6266), or SMS (32158), whatsapp (0832973910) or participate via twitter, facebook and instagram (#24hoursoffreedom).
Besides some of the serious stuff and excellent music – Sive will be doing some excellent give aways.
Bush Radio has been offering broadcast and training facilities to the people of Cape Town for the past 21 years, since our first legal broadcast on the 9th August 1995.
As we celebrate our 21st birthday, we are running a pledge drive during our birthday month – from the 1 – 31 August 2016 – where YOU can make a donation towards our work.
As a non-profit community radio station, we call on former interns, staff, volunteers, board members, NGOs/CBOs, artists, musicians, designers and companies who have benefitted from our broadcast and training services to contribute towards making a difference in the lives of others.
Through such donation, you will contribute to the continued existence of Bush Radio, and also make the opportunity available to others to benefit from Bush Radio’s services.
Our bank details are as follows:
If you would like a receipt for your donation, email the proof of payment to donate@bushradio.co.za
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us on 021 448 5450.
The first radio show produced by bikers – presented by bikers – owned by bikers – for bikers and every other road user – launched in 2012 on Bush Radio is moving to a new time-slot.
The show will be broadcast every Monday evening from 7 to 10pm on 89.5FM and available via internet / mobile phone across the world).
The show will continue to have something for everyone – those to whom biking is a hobby; others who see it as a lifestyle and for those who believe biking is life itself!
This three-hour show will have weekly features on road safety, featured bike of the week; club of the week; general biker news; special guests and if it needs to be aired for debate, it will be dealt with on The Biker Show.
On Monday, 27 April 2015, South Africa’s Freedom Day – Everyday People host Freedom FlexDarkskin will attempt to broadcast for 24 hours straight on 89.5fm and online via www.bushradio.co.za.
He will host all the Monday programming on Bush Radio 89.5fm from 12am in the morning until 12pm that night as we celebrate Freedom Day 2015 with 24 hours of Freedom.
Besides Freedom hosting from the Breakfast Rush to the Wrong Rock Show he will also be highlighting what Freedom Day means and you are invited to call (021 448 6266), or SMS (32158) or participate via twitter, facebook and instagram (#24hoursoffreedom).
Besides some of the serious stuff and excellent music – Freedom will be giving away loads of prizes – ranging from bluetooth speakers to stationery.
24 hours of Freedom is being produced by the other host of Everyday People, Sive Msolo.
It’s cold, wet and windy this Mandela Day so Bush Radio 89.5FM and its magazine programme Sakhisizwe are taking over Woodstock!
Look out for our Bush Radio Madiba day volunteers roaming Victoria Road handing out soup and bread today.
We’ll be broadcasting live from the corner of Victoria Main Road and Hares Avenue, Woodstock between 12 -2pm. Feel free to pay us a visit and grab a bite! (First come first served)
Bush Radio and Sakhisizwe – Building the Nation, Bou die Nasie.
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Bushradio 89.5 FM 