Janet Smith
SABC radio and broadcasting and entertainment industry leader, Primedia, have done a fair swop of Jeremy Thorpe and Chris Gibbons, two of South Africa’s strongest newsmen.
Thorpe, a former TV news chief executive producer who left the SABC this year after an internal battle over the decision to end the wire services of South African Press Association (Sapa), joins Primedia’s flagship Radio 702 as a freelance desk editor and anchor for Eyewitness News.
Thorpe starts out on weekend daytime shifts and will also act as stand-in during the week. He joins former SABC colleague, now 702 anchor, Vuyo Mbuli. A TV continuity announcer and radio broadcaster, Mbuli left the show he co-presented with English Service and Radio South Africa stalwart Paddy O’Byrne in the early days of SAfm. Their union was short-lived, many listeners believe, due to a clash of on-air styles.
Radio 702 news boss Jeremy Maggs says the appointment of Thorpe and Mbuli under news editor Debora Patta form part of a continuing strategy by the station to strengthen Eyewitness News as Gauteng’s leading source of news.
“Thorpe has had extensive electronic media experience, is a seasoned news-desk operative and an excellent news reader. In a competitive new radio market, I’m delighted to have access to his skills.”
Maggs further indicated “the arrival of some new big names in coming weeks”.
Gibbons will take up the seat once occupied by radio producer John Maytham – now lured to Primedia’s new Cape Talk venture – as co-anchor with Sally Burdett on SAfm’s weekday news show, AM Live, which is widely regarded as the radio station’s best asset. Sources at SAfm say while they were stricken at losing Maytham to Primedia, they regard Gibbons as a fine substitute at the public broadcaster.
Gibbons, who left Radio 702 when his evening drive news show was cancelled and replaced by a new format for John Berks on that station, starts his new job at SAfm on September 8.
Meanwhile Dan Moyane – who was unceremoniously axed from Radio 702 when the station repositioned itself – has taken up a director’s position at public relations and design company, Integrated Communications.
Moyane will develop new business for the company and its sports marketing arm, Integrated Sports, as well as managing the company’s mentoring programme and developing its Africa network.