Link FM celebrates milestone

SPECIAL MOMENT: Link FM is celebrating 20 years in the airwaves in style tomorrow as they host a worship extravaganza. Presenter Lebo Makobe, who does ‘Reaching Higher’ every weekday, is one of the radio personalities who will be celebrating with the masses tomorrow Picture: SUPPLIED
SPECIAL MOMENT: Link FM is celebrating 20 years in the airwaves in style tomorrow as they host a worship extravaganza. Presenter Lebo Makobe, who does ‘Reaching Higher’ every weekday, is one of the radio personalities who will be celebrating with the masses tomorrow Picture: SUPPLIED
East London’s first Christian radio station Link FM is celebrating 20 years of inspiring and linking the community to God tomorrow.

The station, which first went live in 1997, will be hosting a worship extravaganza tomorrow to celebrate the milestone.

The worship extravaganza will include the multiple Crown Gospel Music Award winning couple, Butho and Yolanda Vuthela, Khanyisa, CHOSEN, Grace Dance, River Worship band, Downtown Christian Centre Worship Band and Johan Brits, who is launching his debut album on the day.

Link FM is hosting the event in association with Downtown Christian Centre. The event is a tool to raise funds for both Link FM and Downtown Christian Centre.

For more than 15 years the station covered East London only but in 2013 that changed when they acquired a second frequency, enabling them to cover King William’s Town, Bhisho and other surrounding areas.

Link FM’s footprint covers a radius of about 150km from the East London transmitter on 97.1 FM and from the King William’s Town transmitter on 92.1 FM as well as on the DStv music bouquet channel 875 throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Despite Link’s fast-growing listenership, station manager Titch Wild said the passion of the team is to cover more ground for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The station broadcasts in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans. Music genres range from traditional and contemporary Xhosa gospel, contemporary Christian, hip-hop, R&B, praise and worship, house and Christian pop rock.

Wild said Link FM’s community involvement is something close to the heart of the management, staff members and volunteers.

“The station continues to reach out to the impoverished communities of East London with various projects whilst also interacting on a spiritual and social level.”

Over the years, the station has also given Walter Sisulu University journalism students an opportunity to experience first-hand how it feels to be behind the mic.

Wild, who has been at Link FM since 2008, said being with the station has been “an interesting journey notwithstanding its challenges”.

He said tomorrow night’s worship extravaganza was about celebrating God’s faithfulness throughout the years.

“I’d really like to appeal to our faithful listeners, advertisers and donors to please come and celebrate with us. The evening is certainly going to showcase some of East London’s finest musicians,” he said.

Tickets for the worship extravaganza cost R120 and are available at Downtown Christian Centre and Link FM. Tickets go for R60 for scholars. The show starts at 6.30pm. —poliswap@dispatch.co.za

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