Jacquie Golding-Duffy
After 17 years of broadcasting, Capital Radio will go off the air at exactly 6pm this Friday. Established in December 1979, Capital, based in Durban, has been an issue of debate between the telecommunications ministry and the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) for eight months.
Fifty employees will lose their jobs after months of fighting alongside the community to keep the station running.
According to Telecommunications Ministry representative Connie Molusi, the “funds of the radio station have dried up.
“The decision to close down the radio station was made because Capital is no longer commercially viable unless you extend the frequency. The IBA was unable to do this.”
The ministry, says Molusi, took over the financing of the radio station in March and a five-month period was allowed for the frequency to be extended from Medium Wave (MW) to FM or for the MW signal to be improved.
However, this was not forthcoming from the IBA. “If it had had a better frequency it would have added value to Capital before its sale. Also, the radio station is not breaking even,” he said.
Bruce MacRobert of Investec Merchant Bank’s finance division, the institution responsible for handling the sale of Capital, was quoted as saying that after several meetings between the IBA, Sentech, Investec and the Telecommunications Ministry on Capital Radio’s future transmitter network, the Postmaster-General requested that the IBA consider allocating FM frequencies to the station in its broadcast area.
The request was to make Capital a more attractive proposition for sale but the request was rejected by the IBA. “It was after this that a decision was taken to close the station,” MacRobert said.
But the IBA refutes the claim that it should be blamed for Capital’s closure.
An IBA spokesman said the regulator was willing to improve the station’s signal, which would have meant a clearer reception for listeners in Pietermaritzburg, Port Shepstone and Durban, but the ministry wanted Gauteng also to receive broadcasts.
The IBA was worried about the impact of extending Capital’s signal to Gauteng, fearing it would have a negative effect on the viability of smaller radio stations in the area.
Steve Bishop, who has been with Capital Radio for more than 10 years, says he and colleagues are disappointed that politics have played a major role in station future.
Bishop, together with Capital’s ten other DJs, are well-known for their quirkiness and sense of humour.
He reminisces about the “good old days” at Capital Radio and is disappointed that he has not seen the radio station obtain an FM licence.
“You know I have received quite a few job offers but I’ve always remained loyal to the station with the hope that one day it will have its frequency extended.
“But hopes of the station reaching its full potential are now gone up in smoke.”
Yasmien Naidoo, an avid listener, has also tried to save the radio station by phoning in, writing a letter of support and signing one of the several petitions that has been sent to the telecommunications ministry.
“Many of the other well-known Capital DJs will be deeply missed for their easy-going nature and deep-rooted commitment to serving listeners.
“They always made time for us… whether we were querying something, complaining or just needed someone to talk to,” she says.
Some of the well-known broadcast names
which have come through the Capital ranks are John Berks, Martin Bailey, Brian Oxley and Kevin Savage, to name a few of the many broadcasters and DJs who have worked for the station.
After the closure, government will sell off the station’s assets in a disposal process which is expected to be announced soon
Bids will be invited from interested parties.