Learning and License

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at Bush Radio.

We handed out Matric study packs to learners at Modderdam and Glendale High in partnership with Van Schaik Books, helped plan a careers day at St Agnes Primary in Woodstock, as well as hosted station and programme managers from various radio stations in southern Africa as part of our partnership on local radio with UNESCO.

All of this was made worth it by the announcement by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) that we have been granted a renewal on our broadcast license until October 2018!

Stationery Handovers

Bush Radio’s, Lusanda Bill hand over the stationery to Modderdam High Principal, Mr Snyers

Principal of Modderdam High, Mr Snyers said the timing of the stationery is perfect because this time of the year learners need all the support they can get. Principal Achmat Chotia of Glendale High said he was delighted and inspired by the donation made by Bush Radio and Van Schaik Bookstore to the matrics. “With all the support that the learners are getting from the community is an indication to the learners that they must know that there are people who care and wish they succeed” Chotia added.

Marketing Manager of Van Schaik Bookstore, Margaret Vyver-Rambau said they started this project after they realised that stationery is very important to a learner, especially during exams.

Excited Glendale High matrics await their stationery packs

Vyver-Rambau added that it is important to work with the media in playing a part in encouraging children to study further as they are the future leaders.

Brand Manager, Melanie Foxcroft said to be involved in projects such as these are very important as Van Schaik believes in furthering education especially for young people.

St Agnes Primary careers day 2013

Each year St Agnes Primary School in Woodstock hold a career day where teachers hope to get learners to start thinking about career choices. As part of the day they get speakers from various fields to chat to the learners to help inspire and give them advice. Learners are encouraged to dress up to represent their chosen career and the teachers at the school get to put on school uniforms.

Left to Right: Wayne Mckay, Nathan Adams + Bhavna Singh join the careers day event

Bush Radio was asked if we could arrange a couple of guest speakers for the event and we called upon some of our volunteers and contacts to come help out. The children were thoroughly entertained, and inspired by Bhavna Singh (former Breakfast Rush team member and currently an ETV news anchor), Wayne Mckay (comedian, mc and presenter of Laid Back), Nathan Adams (The Daily Voice entertainment editor) and Yazeed Kamaldien (freelance photographer and journalist)

Nathan Adams chatting with the learners

Financial Management training for Managers

Managers from the various radio stations

Bush Radio in partnership with the UNESCO hosted a Financial Management training course from the 14 – 18 October 2013. Station Managers and Programme Managers came from Namibia (Live FM, Ohangwena Community Radio, Base FM and !Ah FM), Lesotho (Mafeteng Community radio) and South Africa (Bush Radio, Jozi FM, Radio Riverside, Radio Atlantis and Valley FM). This course is part of a broader project called “Empowering Local Radio’s with ICT’s”

African TV Journalists on the Move

Bush Radio in partnership with the Deutsche Welle Akademie is currently (18 – 28 July 2011) holding a training workshop at the Bush Radio training facilities to a selected group of talented television journalists, camera operators and technicians from several television stations in Africa. The workshop aims to enable African journalists to “tell their stories” by producing professional TV reports and documentaries, and consequently offering their audiences an African perspective on relevant issues such as environmental protection, economic development, poverty reduction, health, education and good governance.

There are a diverse number of objectives that the workshop aims to achieve, including the improvement of the individuals skills as well as the promotion of African perspectives on social, economic and developmental issues. Trainers, Thomas Rehermann, Robert Donauer, Florian Kroker and Jan Bruck are doing their very best to ensure that the best training is being provided to the participants.

In the first stage the participants are divided up into teams consisting of a journalist, one camera operator and one picture editor. These teams are then given tasks and at the end of the workshop they are requested to produce at least one broadcast-quality report.

The workshop also aims to enhance reporting abilities, including, story selection, research, production organisation, camera work, the basic principles of editing, storytelling and writing for television.

Stages two and three are even more exciting than stage one. In stage two the team who produces the best report in stage one is identified, and then invited to develop these reports in co-operation with editors and technicians from Deutsche Welle-TV. Deutsche Welle will then distribute the reports through various channels to an international audience.

Stage three then allows the top 20 participants the opportunity to visit Germany. During this period, they will exchange views with decision-makers and opinion leaders, in order for authentic African perspectives on international issues to be discussed. This visit will also give participants the chance to learn more about German and European opinions about current issues.

The excitement of the participants is apparent at Bush Radio. Siraaj Larney from Cape Town TV said, “I have truly enjoyed the training thus far. It has broadened my knowledge and it has helped me build my confidence.”

Another participant, Anna Nicodemus from Namibia said, “I have been a journalist for quite some time, and I thought I knew all the tricks to journalism, up until this training. I will definitely be taking back a great wealth of knowledge with me. I hope that I will make it to Germany.”

Pennipher Sikainda from Muvi TV in Zambia said that the course has been excellent thus far, especially because it has been focusing on the training of TV production. She also said that the theme of the course “Africa On The Move” is wonderful since they have seen few stories depicting growth both socially and economically. She said that the lectures are fantastic, because they are sharing great tips that she could use to meet international broadcasting standards.

Richard Khoviwa from Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, said, “I have learnt many things with regard to editing and production. This is indeed useful to me because I deal with technical issues on a regular basis at my company.”

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