Don’t just like what you hear.

Have you received airtime on Bush Radio?

Have you received training at the station?

Have we promoted your song, organisation, issue or start-up?

Please consider making a contribution to the continued running of Africa’s oldest, volunteer driven, not-for-profit community radio station.

Check out: https://www.givengain.com/cc/bushradio/

Spread the word so that we can keep doing what we do by being of service.

For more information visit: www.bushradio.wordpress.com

Or visit www.bushradio.co.za to listen online and find links to our social media pages.

Find out more about the work of Bush Radio and the struggles of community media visit these articles:

allAfrica.com

Mail and Guardian

Politicians, drag queens and schoolchildren #SONA2019 #6thParliament

On Thursday the 20th June 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his State of the Nation address to the people of South Africa via Parliament.

As usual the Bush Radio team was at the sitting covering all aspects of the speech, from expectations of civil society and political parties, the fashion and the protests.

Here is a picture slideshow of some of the happenings:

Check out our instagram for more videos and pictures.

Getting a taste for radio

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Learner’s from the Sound and Light team at Muizenberg High School got to spend some time at Bush Radio on Wednesday the 12 June.

The young people had the opportunity to interact with the trainees at Bush Radio in all the areas; news, production, on air and presenting. They where roped into a recorded discussion on youth issues where they were able to share their views on Youth Day and the challenges and exciting opportunities facing young people.

Bush Radio’s commitment to developing young people is well known through it’s Children’s Radio Education Workshop and being the first station that provides a direct output for young people to make not just only radio, but all forms of media for themselves.

If your school would like to visit Bush Radio send an email to mother@bushradio.co.za or call 021448540 for more details.

Spread the word #worldpressfreedomday

World Press Freedom day (3 May) is a date which celebrates the principles of press freedom, to evaluate and defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

World Press Freedom day also acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect and commitment to press freedom.

It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom – a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence.

Related stories

Responding first

Bush Radio staff and interns took part in a two day workshop to get their level 1 first aid certification. It was hard work but the guys enjoyed it.

We think Kholeka deserves an Oscar for her performance as an injured patient.

Thanks to Donovan from Safe Tech for conducting the course.

Radio, dwasdeur jou porridge #WorldRadioDay

13 February is World Radio Day. A day we celebrate the power of radio in our lives. This year UNESCO’s theme for the day is “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”.

We thought it appropriate that we ask our listeners, supporters, trainees and everyone who has used the medium to send us whatsapp video clips (because community radio moves with the times).

We received clips from listeners, Alternative Radio, BBC, activists, media professionals, editors and artists. The range of the responses we received clearly shows that Bush Radio lives up to this year’s theme of “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”. More than just being one of the most sort after training radio stations, it truly is building bridges between the various communities we serve.

Watch some of the clips online via our YouTube channel.

All the action from #SONA2019

The State of the Nation address is a busy time for Bush Radio. It is usually the first major news event that our trainees cover. Our coverage has evolved from simply doing radio to producing videos, live tweeting and photography. Watch the playlist below:

Working at Radio Station and what it taught me.

The following was written by Maryam Adhikarie on her blog about her experience as an intern. (Reposted with permission)

It has been months since I updated my blog and it feels really good to get back into the swing of things. Consequently, a few months ago I applied for my first ever real Journalistic job in media. I’d never ever thought any sort of job would change me as much as a person as working in the media industry.

Just finished my 1st year final assignments and rushed over to catch a ride to head over to an interview I never thought I would have gotten. With no prior experience to what an actual interview entails I sat sweating on the seat taking a look at the surroundings and tried not to look like this was my first time.

Think of any police, bad cop, good cop type of scenario where they interrogate the suspect. It felt and looked like that with the interviewer asking questions and the room with the glass windows. I was very unsure on how to behave and the teenager in me at the time could not stop fidgeting. It was a process that I felt took an eternity.

I got the golden phone call, and soon was in training alongside my newly wed colleagues. Thrown straight into editing as much sound as we possibly could. It was a painstaking process of editing sound that I assure you no intern liked, however, it would benefit us immensely later when it came to collecting sound.

From editing we were taken outside, which we appreciated. What we did outside was collect sound from people on the streets. A basic question on current affairs asked to as much as people as you can get on record, called a Vox Pops. This is where we learnt how to approach people properly to get there opinions on anything such as sex, sport, politics to circumcision.

I thoroughly enjoyed asking people out on the streets on there opinions about things. It showed me a different perspective on things and made me more knowledgeable about how people think, enforcing the fact that not everyone thinks the same. There are instances where I would not agree with what the person is saying, however, I would reiterate in my mind that it is not my job to disagree, my job is to get a balanced story.

A balanced story is not something I was well equipped for when I started. I had to learn what a balanced story entails. There was so much learning that had to be done, not that my first year of Journalism did not prepare me enough, it is that there is certain things you have to learn in the field when your are thrown into the deep end.

University in essence is a safety net, you can make mistakes, whereas in the media industry or more specifically radio, your name as well as the company is on the line and that is where the pressure comes from. You repeat a year or a module if you fail at University and that is really no ‘biggie’, but in the media industry if you do mess up you may not have a job the next day and no media company would want to hire you after that. Protect your name.

Radio, specifically, sounds pretty easy when you listen to it, however, think of radio as a piano keyboard, anyone can sit down and press down onto the keypads but how terrible will that sound to the ears. You need to know what you doing and it does takes loads of practice. This is called engineering.

Watching presenters engineer for themselves, playing jingles, playing sound and multitasking was an honor to watch. I laugh as I write this sentence because I soon had to engineer for myself and that was, personally, for me, the most difficult but the most rewarding when I knew how. I felt like a puppet controlling the air waves and controlling what you heard, it was and will probably always be the best.

In the couple of months that I was there, news was pouring out of every corner and it would be overwhelming at first. But, overtime you would get familiar with the influx and amount of work put in to bring out your best story. You would learn how to work alongside people. I learnt that you wont be an expert at first everything takes time, some more than others, have patience.

Other than hardship, stress and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, you also get to meet fellow presidents, ministers and politicians. Particularly in radio, because of the type of radio station I worked at you get to meet loads of different types of people from chefs to singers and dj’s, you really get a nice blend.

Read the original blog post and follow Maryam’s journey on twitter.

Get experience in our newsroom

Bush Radio has places available in its newsroom for volunteer recruits.

Read the following carefully!

*** This is NOT a call for DJs, music show presenters or newsreaders***

Are you:

• Interested in developing news that matters to the Cape Flats?
• Curious, adventurous, always looking for a story, willing to hunt down a source, energetic?
• Able to speak, write and read in English & Afrikaans or Xhosa?
• Willing to explore new frontiers in media?
• Able to work hard in a challenging environment?

Would you like to learn how to:

• Record sound, conduct interviews, compile bulletins, read bulletins, take pictures, record video, cover events and test your skills LIVE to a listening and online audience of over 375 000 people.
• Develop what it means to be journalist in a changing news environment?

If your answer to the above is yes, then a volunteer news trainee position in the Bush Radio newsroom is for you. (Download application form)

Things to pay attention to:

• You will be required full-time with shifts (06h00 – 14h00 and 10h00 –18h00) – 5 days a week, including weekend and public holiday shifts.
• You must be available to start in January 2019.
• You will not receive payment! This is a full-time trainee position at Africa’s leading community radio station.
• Transport allowance of R500 per month for 3 months (probation), increased to R 1000 thereafter, non-negotiable for 9 months.
• Students attending class should not apply.
• Candidates must be computer literate.
• Candidates must be Cape Town based.
• Understand, write and read English and one other language (Afrikaans or Xhosa)
• Shortlisted candidates will be put through a combination interview, written test (for computer skills, language, general knowledge) and a voice test at a specified date in December 2018.

How to submit your application:

1. Download and complete the CV Application, attach documentation (certificates etc)
2. In the the subject line write: (name) and (surname) – Newsroom trainee January 2019
3. Email completed application form to news2019@bushradio.co.za

Application deadline: 5 December 2018 (no late applications will be considered)

Bush Radio reserves the right not to make an appointment – Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted – No correspondence will be entered into. If you have been contacted within one week of the closing date you should consider your application unsuccessful.

Bush Radio is the oldest volunteer driven community radio station project in Africa

Read more

Join our team (Volunteer Internship Opportunity)

Bush Radio is opening applications for internship positions for those interested in getting into media. No prior formal qualification is required.

The internship will provide basic experience in journalism, radio content production and multimedia.

Please read the requirements below CAREFULLY – should the information be incomplete or incorrect, your application will not be considered.

Are you…

Curious, adventurous, always looking for a story, willing to hunt down a source, hungry to learn, energetic, able to speak, write and read in English & Afrikaans/Xhosa, willing to explore new frontiers in media?

Would you like to…

Record sound, conduct interviews, compile bulletins, read bulletins, take pictures, record video, cover events, test your skills LIVE to a listening and online audience of over 375 000 people, generate interview ideas, liaise with guests, assist presenter, research, package and present, liaise with listeners regarding programmes, updating blogs/websites, present as needed / capable, participate in outside broadcasts or events, build your career and profile?

Requirements:

• No formal qualifications are required but the candidates must be computer literate and understand, write and read English and one other language (Afrikaans or Xhosa)
• You will be required full-time (ie Monday – Friday) or shifts (06h00 – 14h00 and 10h00 –18h00 –including weekend and public holiday shifts depending on the area you are placed.
• You must be available to start immediately.
• You will not receive payment! This is a volunteer internship at Africa’s leading community radio station. Transport allowance of R500 per month for 3 months (probation), increased to R 1000 thereafter, non-negotiable for 9 months.
• Shortlisted candidates will be put through a combination written test (for computer skills, language, general knowledge) and a voice test. – If selected for the test it will happen the week of the 25th September 2018

How to submit your application:

• Only emailed applications will be considered.
• Download and complete the CV Application, attach documentation (certificates etc) and email to intern2018@bushradio.co.za
• In the subject line clearly state: Intern October 2018
• Application deadline: 24 September 2018

Bush Radio reserves the right not to make an appointment – Only shortlisted candidates ill be contacted – No correspondence will be entered into. If you have been contacted within one week of the closing date you should consider your application unsuccessful.