Glynis O’Hara
THE Independent Broadcasting Authority’s (IBA) seven new radio licences announced this week are set to breathe life and diversity into the airwaves. Allowing for specialist and group interests, they avoided adding yet more pop music stations to that over-tired parade.
The three FM stations in Gauteng went to Classic FM (classical music and jazz), Youth FM (black youth music station, 25% talk) and Khaya FM (formerly called Jozi Radio and aimed at the black middle class from 25 to 40, with a 40% talk/”infotainment” component).
An Afrikaans talk station, Punt Op Mediumgolf, won MW frequencies in Gauteng and Cape Town. Cape Talk (an English talk station) won the other Cape Town MW frequency; while Radio P4, an adult contemporary jazz station, got the mother city’s FM frequency.
The specific frequencies for each station are yet to be determined, “no later than the end of May”.
Classic FM’s ownership structure includes Disability Empowerment Concerns with 10%; while Streetwise Children have 10% of Khaya FM. Radio P4 is 80% owned by Makana Trust, a consortium of ex-political prisoners.
As Gauteng Premier Tokyo Sexwale said at the presentation, marked by shrieks of delight and much hugging from successful applicants: “The rejoicing must go beyond merely music, there must be information that will enable our young ones to rise to successful participation in a world hurtling towards the 21st century.”
There are now 12 private radio stations. The other five are: KFM in Cape Town, Highveld, Algoa, East Coast, Radio Oranje and Jacaranda, ownership of which is in dispute, between New Shelf, a subsidiary of New Africa Investment Limited, which was awarded the frequency by the IBA, and Naledi Consortium.