At Bush Radio we deal with very serious issues everyday and an important part of what we do is also individual development (you need to be learning something to be part of Bush). So every Wednesday at the station we host a Staff Development session – normally we gather around “The Big Table” to discuss, debate, watch and learn.
Sometimes we have a chance to get out of the office for some fun. This time Rush hosted us for a fun session, where we could blow off some steam.
This past Wednesday for our regular staff development session, Bush Radio staff and trainees watched an interesting documentary called “The Distortion of Sound”about their perceived decline of sound quality and how technology has changed the way we listen to music.
Featuring: Mike Shinoda, Slash, Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg, Steve Aoki , Lianne La Havas and others the documentary makes for some interesting viewing.
The documentary raised some interesting questions and comments from the group – ranging from progress versus technology to agenda setting.
Thanks to Ernestine Deanefor directing us to this documentary and several others.
An afternoon of laughter and good comedy brought the crowd to a standstill on Sunday, the 10th July 2011 when Bush Radio in partnership with Vodacom hosted the Bush Radio & Vodacom Community Funny Festival at the Joseph Stone Auditorium in Athlone.
Following many days and hours of hard work and planning, the afternoon kicked off with great entertainment by artists and groups including Heal the Hood together with Emile YX?, upcoming SA artist Sylvester, recording artist Denyschia, freestyler Xola X and the renowned Claire Phillips. These performances were then followed by laughter and fun from comedians Mum-z, Dalin Oliver and Wayne Mckay.
A very passionate crowd and group of listeners together with the Bush Radio team supported the event, eager to experience an afternoon of great fun.
We would like to thank the Bush Radio staff for all their support, hard work and hours of brainstorming.
A big thank you also goes to the artists who offered up their time to perform at this event.
Our thanks also go to comedians Mum-z, Dalin Oliver and Wayne Mckay who wowed the crowed with their crazy jokes an immense energy.
Furthermore, we would like to express our thanks to the team from Eddy Cassar PR together with the Vodacom team who worked so efficiently with Bush Radio.
We will ensure that more of these events are arranged.
Bush Radio89.5FM, in partnership with the Deutsche Welle (DW) Academy, is currently holding a 6-day Community TV and Local News training course (23 – 28 May 2011), for various participants with the aim of strengthening their skills as community television journalists.
The enthusiasm of the trainers, Birgit Keller and Martin Schönian, co-ordinator Christopher Springate and the participants is creating an infectious excitement that can be felt by all at Bush Radio’s studios.
Christopher Springate
Christopher Springate, the course co-ordinator said: “To be specific, we intend to enlighten the participants with their reporting, writing, researching, filming and editing skills.”
Birgit Keller said that as the trainers they are not doing the course to have the participants do things in a certain way, but rather to show them how it works. She also added that they are keen to show the participants how to manage current affairs in order to get ideas on how they can improve.
Birgit Keller
Participants are from various television and radio stations including Bay TV, CTV, Soweto TV, Radio KC, Bush Radio, Community Video Education Trust and the Oguni Solidarity Forum.
Lebogang Kubyane from Soweto TV said: “I am extremely impressed with the course and what it has to offer. The trainers are great people and it is comforting to know that I am able to learn new and interesting things everyday.”
The course started off with a general introduction and ranges from activities like editing vox-pops, writing for television, “on-camera” work and production editing.
Martin Schönian said, “The reason for the course being aimed at community journalists is because they have the responsibility to voice the communities’ opinions more often as opposed to commercial stations. Therefore they need to be highly skilled to do this task.”
Martin Schönian
Birgit Keller gave the final word on the participants and hosts: “I am really impressed with the participants. They are truly bringing forth a great amount of energy and good ideas. I also need to add that it is interesting to be at Bush Radio. The friendly staff and warm welcome which we receive creates a warm and good atmosphere for all.”
Besides catching up with some of the Bush Radio presenters, staff and volunteers. The G-Spot has organised a strong line-up of local artists like Salome, Carmen Xclusive, N2, The Instrumentals and many more to provide entertainment at the event.
With just over 10 days left before kick-off to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Africa’s oldest community radio, Bush Radio had the honour to host soccer bosses during its afternoon-drive show.
FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke accompanied by Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Officer Danny Jordaan were in studio with Everyday People’s Sive Msolo and Freedom Raphela.
Central to their discussions was the state of readiness for Africa’s first ever soccer showpiece.
Valcke said the country was more than ready to welcome the world for the soccer spectacle.
“South Africa is ready for the world, which I think is the most important thing today, you will see that when the world comes to South Africa we will not only have 31 teams, but five thousand media representatives, officials, fans and all around 400 000 people coming to the country,” said Valcke.
Valcke said when these people leave the country after the 32 day soccer tournament, they will attest that they had a great time in the country.
Asked about the legacy of the tournament Jordaan said the country will benefit through sustainable develop in the areas of transport infrastructure as well as economic opportunities.
“If you look into transport, there has been a transport revolution in the country. We have upgraded the airport in Cape Town which means we will have more aircrafts landing therefore more people coming boosting tourism,” Jordaan said.
Lights, camera, action! Those were the words that were often used at the Deutsche Welle (DW) Journalism Community Television training hosted by Bush Radio for the past two weeks.
Maggie Nyaunda from CTV checks her equipment while Timothy Ncube from Bay TV looks on
We had the opportunity to watch the participants, taking pictures. Bush Radio interns also made cameo appearances in some of the pieces they were working on.
Participants came from Bay TV, from Richards Bay, Cape Town TV, based in Cape Town, Soweto TV from Soweto and Tshwane TV from Pretoria.
DW trainers, Patrick Benning and Frank Norden said they want to empower the participants from community television by giving them training and how to make good television.
“When one thinks of television you always imagine the glamorous life, you forget it involves hard work, like not having enough equipment and working volunteers” said Benning.
Bill Mbuyi of CTV gets down to the serious business of editing
Zanele Mthembu who is a producer from Soweto TV agreed with Benning. Mthembu added “there are difficulties that community television faces everyday, like people not pitching up for interviews”.
Working for a community radio station is similar to a community television station. Both share similar challenges, shortage of staff, no funding, lack of advertising and over worked staff.
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