SABC radio stations are expected to axe a number of white radio presenters in the coming days to fulfil licence agreements with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
The SABC has 18 radio channels. Those that will be most affected are SAFM, Good Hope FM, 5FM and Radio Sonder Grense.
5FM has already announced the departure of station manager John Langford and presenters Mark Gillman, Barney Simon and Derek Richardson.
SAFM is currently interviewing for replacement talk show hosts. No changes have been announced. But on Sunday arts and culture presenter Fiona Ramsay announced that she was leaving the station.
“Various changes are being made to SABC radio station line-ups to accommodate ICASA’s licence conditions,” SABC spokeswoman Lesego Mncwango said.
The regulations, which came into effect in August 2003, stipulate that public radio stations have to be 40% black empowered. Commercial radio stations have to be 25% empowered.
Jostling for Kaya FM
The fight for control of Kaya FM is hotting up, with Primedia and Caxton each vying for control of the station.
Primedia has made an offer to the Tiso Consortium to buy the whole of New Africa Investments Limited (Nail), which owns a 24.9% stake in Kaya.
The Tiso Consortium bought Nail in February 2004, in order to sell off all its remaining assets and return the money to shareholders.
Last year Primedia bought a 7% share in a radio company African Media Entertainment (AME), which in July said it had put in a bid for Nail’s stake in Kaya. AME’s assets include Free State station OFM and Eastern Cape station Algoa FM.
Primedia’s rival, Caxton owns about 8% of AME. According to Moneyweb, Caxton’s CEO Terry Moolman and business associate Noel Coburn own nearly 29% between them.
Kaya does not expect much impact on its operations when a new company takes over. “The Nail deal is still at competition approval level,” says Kaya’s managing director, Charlene Deacon. “I suppose one of the disadvantages might be that the new owner comes in with a different business model.”