A new community radio station, Ingwane FM, is to be launched for those living in Transkei and surrounding areas.
With their slogan Iziko lam Iziko lakho nawe (my station your station too), the station will focus on isiXhosa culture and tradition and is expected to go live mid-January.
Co-founders Muzi Dlamini and Gova Maguda, both former Unitra community radio station presenters, are equally passionate about radio with Dlamini having a radio news background and Maguda with experience on radio programming.
Speaking to the Dispatch they both said it was their love for radio that inspired the idea of the station in 2010.
Dlamini added that they felt Mthatha was too big to have just one community radio station.
“When we were busy applying for licensing someone asked what set us apart from other community stations and we explained that it was our focus on culture and tradition. Other stations tend to modern , while we just want to remind black people about who they are and where they come from,” said Dlamini.
He added that there were many young people in the region who were graduates of media studies or journalism who needed somewhere to complete their training and the station would look to help them.
“We want to give young people a chance, as much as we will have presenters and anchors of all ages we are planning on attracting younger radio personalities,” he said.
Maguda said starting a radio station was not easy and they faced many challenges; from not having enough money to get started, to not having top-of-the-range equipment to work with.
“Funding has always been our problem – even now we still use very basic equipment but we have approached the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) .
“As we speak Sentech is busy with the installations and we already have 24 staff members,” said Maguda.
The station is expected to broadcast in isiXhosa and the music is expected to be 100% local content.
“All sub-groups of the Transkei area can expect to be represented – from the AmaMpondo to the AmaMpondomise the Hlubi and AmaMbovane – everyone will experience a bit of their culture while listening to our station,” said Maguda.
Dlamini said from mid-January Ingwane FM can be found on 104.5MHz in Mthatha and on 90.6Mhz in Port St Johns. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
New radio station fosters culture
With their slogan Iziko lam Iziko lakho nawe (my station your station too), the station will focus on isiXhosa culture and tradition and is expected to go live mid-January.
Co-founders Muzi Dlamini and Gova Maguda, both former Unitra community radio station presenters, are equally passionate about radio with Dlamini having a radio news background and Maguda with experience on radio programming.
Speaking to the Dispatch they both said it was their love for radio that inspired the idea of the station in 2010.
Dlamini added that they felt Mthatha was too big to have just one community radio station.
“When we were busy applying for licensing someone asked what set us apart from other community stations and we explained that it was our focus on culture and tradition. Other stations tend to modern , while we just want to remind black people about who they are and where they come from,” said Dlamini.
He added that there were many young people in the region who were graduates of media studies or journalism who needed somewhere to complete their training and the station would look to help them.
“We want to give young people a chance, as much as we will have presenters and anchors of all ages we are planning on attracting younger radio personalities,” he said.
Maguda said starting a radio station was not easy and they faced many challenges; from not having enough money to get started, to not having top-of-the-range equipment to work with.
“Funding has always been our problem – even now we still use very basic equipment but we have approached the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) .
“As we speak Sentech is busy with the installations and we already have 24 staff members,” said Maguda.
The station is expected to broadcast in isiXhosa and the music is expected to be 100% local content.
“All sub-groups of the Transkei area can expect to be represented – from the AmaMpondo to the AmaMpondomise the Hlubi and AmaMbovane – everyone will experience a bit of their culture while listening to our station,” said Maguda.
Dlamini said from mid-January Ingwane FM can be found on 104.5MHz in Mthatha and on 90.6Mhz in Port St Johns. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
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