Going digital

After a few months of construction, tweaking (and some twerking) and training we officially launch the Bush Radio Digital Broadcast studio today 1 May 2015 in honour of all the workers who have sacrificed for our democracy and helped to open the airwaves in South Africa.

The studio was constructed by the team from Buck Broadcast and funded through a grant from the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA).

The new digital studio will help Bush Radio to continue to be the leading incubator of young radio talent on the continent while providing listeners with the best quality sound possible.

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”

Zimbabweans invade the airwaves

Over the past two weeks five members of Radio Dialogue in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe have been interning at Bush Radio’s studios.

This training is a continuation of  Bush Radio and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung’s (FES) assistance to the development of the community radio sector in Southern Africa.

Rosie Chauke and Thandazani Nkomo checking the local papers

The visit comes after we conducted station based training in Bulawayo. (see story here) The five interns have been placed in different departments in order to enhance the skills they already have.

Radio Dialogue is a community radio station which aims to give people of Bulawayo a voice. At the moment it does not have a broadcasting licence but has managed to engage the people of Bulawayo in its activities.

Bush Radio's Denisia Adams with Radio Dialogue's Munya Gova in studio

The radio station is in touch with the community through recorded broadcasts, road shows and focus group meetings which all aim to give people a platform to air their views on issues affecting them.

Rosie Chauke, a youth coordinator from Radio Dialogue says her duties include working on various projects. “We have activities such as debate camps, drama competitions, talk shows and public speaking competitions for those youth that are still at school,” said Chauke.

Sakhisizwe's Busisiwe Mtabane (front) with Sanele Njini from Bulawayo

Chauke, who was based in the Bush Radio Newsroom, says through this training she expecting to get a better feel for broadcasting.

“It has been my greatest wish to do this and now I have finally got a chance to do this and I’m so excited, though at first I had cold feet and was very nervous,” added Chauke.

She concluded that being in the newsroom is an experience, because at their station she only read the news, whereas at Bush Radio she got to do compiling and conduct interviews.

Emmanuel Nkomo from Radio Dialogue selecting music with the help of Victor J

Thandazani Nkomo who is also based in the Bush Radio Newsroom added; “It’s been a nice experience for me being at Bush Radio. We had an opportunity of going on air. It is a dream we hope to realise in Zimbabwe soon.”

Bush Radio will be conducting follow-up training again in Zimbabwe to see the progress of the interns and to see what they have implemented from their stay at our little station.

Emmanuel (centre) hosted a staff development session on drumming

*The Radio Dialogue interns can be heard on Bush Radio 89.5 FM or online between 09h00 – 16h00 and will conduct a special on-air programme on Friday the 27 November between 14h00 – 16h00.