Suzy Bell
The only independent radio station that was a breath of fresh air in KwaZulu-Natal with lively, off-the-wall DJs, controversial talk shows and excellent news coverage, was the old Capital Radio station in Durban, which closed last year on November 29.
It looks like old Capital will be back if all goes well for the bidding of the station this October in Durban. Quima Investments, a broad-based Johannesburg grass-roots consortium, was the only applicant to win approval from Jay Naidoo, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Broadcasting.
It is estimated that the asking price for the station is over R10-million, but no more than R15-million.
Mark Rosin, of Jacobson, Rosin & Wright, and acting attorney for Quima Investments, said this week the company was confident of meeting the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) requirements regarding black empowerment, local content and meeting the demands for the service in the region.
If Quima Investments is granted the licence it intends broadcasting in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Eastern Cape. The station will be a combination of music and talk, with the music mix being broad, comprising urban contemporary, traditional, world music and gospel. There would also be a talk format most specifically at night, said Rosin.
The Capital Radio listeners committee is calling for the new owners to re-employ the old Capital Radio staff. But Rosin said: Absolutely no decision on this as its too premature. He did add, however, that Quima Investments has been talking to old Capital Radio senior staff. We still need to do research into the old Capital Radio station, but the company does not want to spend a great deal of money until it knows it has got the licence.
Of the issue of dwindling listenership at the old station (which dropped to 8 000 to 10 000 listeners before the station closed last November) Rosin attributed that to difficulty with the format, with finance and problems with the frequency. Quima Investments is keen to support social issues, it is forming a separate new institution, a Section 21 company that includes an Aids organisation, a womens group, and a group to represent the homeless.