The National Community Radio Forum issued a press statement after their meeting with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) yesterday.
Again Bush Radio is very concerned about these developments and we believe that a closure of one station is worrying. We call upon all parties involved to look for an amicable solution for the continued survival and growth of the community radio sector.
We also encourage communities, individuals, organisations and businesses to support their community radio stations.
“In the small meeting room buried deep within Bush Radio’s second-floor offices on Victoria Road in Salt River, central Cape Town, and lying alongside an ancient Zenith Trans-Oceanic analog radio are two maroon leather cases.
These cases are marked with the iconic golden dog and gramophone logo of His Master’s Voice, formerly the Victor Talking Machine Company. These cases contain original recordings of speeches, debates, poetry, and music performed by South African anti-apartheid activists—those deemed so dangerous that they were banned from gathering or speaking publicly by the then-government.”
If you would like to see us continue our work or have been touched by it please show your support through a contribution via our GIVEGAIN campaign or directly into our account:
Bank: Standard Bank Account Name: Bush Radio Account Number: 07 122 0194 Branch Name: Mowbray Branch Code: 004909 Bank address: 37 – 39 Main Road, Mowbray, Western Cape, South Africa, 7700 SWIFT address: SBZA ZA JJ
After intense planning and a busy week the 12th Annual Media Kidocracy Konfrence (MKK2012) came to an end on Friday, the 14th of December 2012.
About 80 youth delegates (aged 12 – 21) drawn from all over the country, SADC and as far away as Northern Ireland attended MKK.
Below are the “products” which showcase how the young people interpreted the various themes outlined for this year. For a large percentage of the delegates this was the first time they had been directly involved in the production of media. A strong element of all the MKK conferences have been linking a practical implementation of ideas generated in the various intensive panel discussions and workshop groups.
This year’s theme was Youth Participation in Democracy, with sub-themes being:
Youth Rights and Civic Participation – Human Rights
About 400 delegates from various community radio stations in the country attended the National Community Radio Corporate Governance Indaba in Polokwane from the 20th to the 26th of September 2012.
Portfolio Committee Chairperson on Communication Eric Kholwane said one of the committee’s aim is that by 2014 each municipality has a community station. According to Kholwane it should be government’s responsibility to make sure that community stations are sustainable.
MDDA Chief Executive Lumko Mtimde said they are looking into having a central booking and monitoring system for advertising for all community radio. MDDA is also planning a community radio museum where it will display old equipment from stations like Bush Radio and Radio Zibonele.
From the 22nd to the 25th September, the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA) took over the programme with three concurrent training workshops to develop the sector. Several issues were dealt with including Corporate Governance and Leadership, Sales and Financial Sustainability and High Performance Team Management and Motivation.
These three sessions dealt with the current challenges faced by community radio stations and also outlined the prospects towards growth and the advancement of the sector.
The National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) took over the conference on the last day, convening member stations into a national general council. Several issues were up for discussion including membership fees, provincial hubs, one rate card for all stations for GCIS and NCRF to have a training and capacity programme as a project on its own and to roll out the sector skills plan.
The DOC released a discussion document at the conference entitled Corporate governance as a foundation to sustainability. The document was not received well by the delegates as it portrayed the sector in a biased negative light, it was proposed that the document be withdrawn. NCRF said it is concerned in the manner the discussion document showed the situation of Corporate Governance in the sector, which is very one-sided.
NCRF stated that Community Radio in the country continues to play a developmental role in communities, creating platforms for dialogue, debates and freedom of expression in local communities.
Bush Radio spent part of Heritage Day 2012 at the Rocklands Civic Centre in Mitchells Plain as part of the Urban Renewal Programme for Khayelitsha & Mitchells Plain. The aim of the event was to use of arts, sports and cultural activities as tools for nation building.
Candice van Reenen, Senior Communication Officer of Government Communication Information System (GCIS), Western Cape shares government’s message about heritage day and her own views as a young mother.
Chief Niklasoa the First shares his views on the current status of South Africa’s first nations and heritage
While the parliamentary precinct was buzzing with journalists, politicians and celebrities (see the slideshow) last night waiting for the 2012 State of the Nation address (SONA2012), Bush Radio was at the Portlands Indoor Sports Centre in Mitchells Plain with members of the community, local politicians and activists. (listen to the audio below)
Some of the people who shared their views were during the outside broadcast in Mitchells Plain:
Louis Botha – Deputy Manager of GCIS in the Western Cape
Councillor Solomon Philander – Ward Councillor for ward 79 & Deputy Chairperson for the DA constituency, Mitchells Plain
Councillor Xolani Sotashe – Chief Whip of ANC in City of CT
Shahied Keet – Mitchells Plain Backyarddwellers and Resident’s Association
Rudy Kronenberg – Eastridge (Smarty town) Resident
Nafeesah – Resident
Michael Jacobs – Community Police Forum Wayne McKay – local comedian and Bush Radio volunteer
Ismail Chotia – Universal Party
A visualisation produced by Bushradionews to highlight the most words used in the SONA 2012 - an interactive version is available on http://bushradionews.blogspot.com/
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