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
9 August 1995 – Former Programme Co-ordinator; Shamiel X Adams, the late Ralton Praah, former station manager, Farah Moosa (behind the mic) and Adrian Louw (as published in the Cape Times)
As we celebrate the 19th National Women’s Day in South Africa, Africa’s oldest community radio celebrates 19th year of broadcasting legally in a democratic South Africa.
Saturday at 2pm marks the time Bush Radio 89.5FM switched on with a license from the broadcasting authority. The first person on air was volunteer news co-ordinator, Juanita Williams (currently the managing director of AllAfrica Global Media) who read the first news bulletin followed by former station manager, Farah Moosa and a host of guests from various organisations.
On Friday the 9th of August (National Women’s Day) 2013, Bush Radio, Africa’s oldest volunteer driven community radio station celebrates 18 (legal) years on-air.
We will be having a special programme on the day from 2 – 4pm with many of the “old” Bushies. (see Calling all “old” Bushies)
Nigel Vermaas (host of Connected 2 Jazz) produced three promos (audio) for the programme. We thought we would share them here too. The promos feature Bassie Montewa the current host of Backchat as well as Dr Jeanne du Toit, Brenda Leonard and Sue Valentine and Victor J.
Related:
This August: Party like it’s your birthday
On the 9th August 2013, National Women’s Day, Bush Radio 89.5FM will be celebrating its 18th on-air birthday.
If you were a on-air volunteer, trainee or producer between 1995 and 2013 we would like to invite you to join Bassie Montewa on Backchat from 2 to 4pm on Friday the 9th August 2013 to share your experiences with listeners.
We want to find out how it was “back in the day”, how the experience changed you, affected your career choices and what you are up to now?
If you are able to join Bassie (in-studio or on the telephone) please fill in the form below or contact Isherene Siebritz on 021 448 5450 / marketing@bushradio.co.za to book your time back on air.
As part of Bush Radio regular staff development sessions we thought we’d learn a little bit more about how our signal gets to our listeners and meet some of the people involved in the process.
On Wednesday we visited Sentech, which Bush Radio uses to distribute its FM signal (89.5) to listeners.
Frank Creese – Manager: Cape Town Operations
Frank Creese who is the Manager of Cape Town Operations for Sentech gave us a presentation about Sentech and its services and also conducted a tour of their facilities.
Some facts about Sentech: it has 220 transmitting stations, 742 radio transmitters, 627 television transmitters and 550 staff members at its 16 centres nationally.
Ernst Heydenrych, Senior Technician explaining the finer points of transmission and compression to Sinethemba, Isherene and Lusanda
Bush Radio is currently considering upgrading the old Telkom copper wire connection which send our signal from the studio in Salt River to Sentech and Creese shared some clarity on why fibre optic is the way to go to get improved audio quality to the transmitter.
Gary Urion, Supervisor Transmission Centre Western Region (centre) with Sinethemba, Freedom and Victor
Our staff were amazed when we were taken into the Sentech’s operations centre where the main broadcasting (TV and Radio) signals are monitored 24/7, 365 days a year.
View from transmitter site in Tygerberg
We then went to the Sentech’s transmitter site in Tygerberg where many of the community and commercial radio stations transmitters are located. A highlight was also seeing the new digital television transmitter.
Related: In your ear and in your brain – worldwide
In our continuous effort to engage with the communities we serve and make that interaction as easy – and cost effective- as possible, Bush Radio, Africa’s pioneering community radio station project, and Mxit, Africa’s largest mobile social network, have joined forces to provide listeners with a way to send messages to the station at 2 moola (that’s two cents!) per message.
According to Bush Radio Programme Integrator Adrian Louw: “Giving listeners another platform to interact with the station serves to fulfill our license conditions by making it easier for our audience to air their views and opinions.”
The new service combines Mxit‘s over 50 million registered users, and about 40 000 new registrations a day, and Bush Radio’s ability to be heard not only in Cape Town on 89.5FM, but nationally and internationally on mobile phones via its online stream.
Mxit Spokesperson Sphiwe T. Mahlangu says; “We are very happy to provide this solution to Bush Radio for all listeners of Bush Radio that are already on Mxit and the Mxit community that will have the opportunity engage with Bush Radio on this application.”
The station is confident that it will take radio to a new level of interaction and continue to be the leading community radio station on the continent.
Listeners who currently use Mxit will now be able to add Bush Radio on Mxit by going to Tradepost > Entertainment > Radio > Bush Radio.
You will then be able to find Bush Radio under Apps and send us a message whenever you like.
Get involved and join the conversation!
To download Mxit, go to m.mxit.com on your cellphone and follow the prompts.
RELATED:
Connect with Bush Radio on the platform that suits you
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