Power FM's listenership drop in the past six months was a result of the station’s inability to broadcast on three of their five transmitters
Power FM executive director Andile Khumalo attributes the station’s dropping listenership to technical challenges rather than its loss of talent over the past few months.
As reported by the Mail & Guardian, the latest talent to leave the station is Azania Mosaka, who is expected to go on-air for the last time today between midday and 3pm on Friday.
In a statement to the M&G, Khumalo said the station had three of its transmitters switched off between June and August this year following a “testing period” in accordance with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (Icasa) regulations.
“The regulations provide that once testing has been completed in new frequencies, these must be switched off while the licencee applies for these frequencies to be licensed to them permanently.”
Khumalo said the Radio Audience Measurement Survey that shows their listenership dropping by 25% in the past six months was a result of the station’s inability to broadcast on three of their five transmitters.
“Icasa fully licensed Power [FM] for these transmitters in late August,” Khumalo added. “We now cover the entire Gauteng province.”