Radiobiz

A Guide to the Different Styles and Presentations of News Bulletins

There is an ever expanding number of different recognised radio station formats and variations in operation, and each station’s news output needs to fit the format.

The news output of any radio station doesn’t exist in isolation. It has to fit in with the overall programming. News is constantly changing and the news output for each radio station and each format will tend to reflect the way the listeners to that station, prefer to have their news delivered. This can vary from in-depth analysis of news, to short ‘bite size chunks’ of the main headlines.

Sources and Types of News

Consider first the various places news can emanate from before it is reported to the station’s listeners and in what format. Possible sources and types of news are:

1. News Agencies and News Conferences
2. Reporters and News Contacts
3. Press Releases and Politicians
4. Freelancer Contributors
5. Pressure Groups and Letters to the Editor
6. Tip Offs including hoaxes.
7. Events and the Emergency Services
8. Local, National and International News
9. Anniversaries and Follow-ups of existing and previous news stories

The smaller the transmission area of the station, the more likely it is that more localised stories will feature. This may be largely because the advantage a local station has over its bigger rivals is that it is able to report news, of particular interest to that community, as well as noting the larger stories covered by the networks. The larger networks will focus on news that affects a larger area and the style of each delivery for both type of station will also vary.

Broadcasting the news in a short “One Minute News,” feature demands a totally different style of news broadcasting to the more rounded rolling news or in-depth news format say of a Talk Station. The kind of station and the format it is following, will dictate varying styles for each, and how it is broadcast.

The style of a news bulletin is often arrived at by focus groups or other forms of research to determine what’s important in news output to the listeners and delivering it. Radio News may be delivered in a number of ways, and is dependent on the type of radio station, the style of the news reporting in the overall context of the station’s programming and the intended audience.

Metro FM has released its line-up which takes effect as of 01 April 2012. There are minor changes, as the station has decided to retain the majority of its line-up.

The two latest additions to the Metro FM family are; Marian Nyako-Lartey and Minenhle ‘Minnie’ Dlamini. Marian who previously worked for OFM will be co-hosting with William Lehong  from 01h00-05-00, while Minenhle ‘Minnie’ Dlamini is set to co-host a show with Adil More from 12h00-15h00. Both shows are on Saturdays.

Dlamini’s star is rising as she steadily makes her mark on the media scene. She is currently the Mzansi Insider presenter, The Wild soapie actress and Former Live presenter. Her radio debut was on Metro FM in 2011 when she and ANC Youth League president Julius Malema took command of the Metro FM airwaves, on a show typically hosted by Glen Lewis, Unathi Msengana and Melanie Bala. The stations initiative was to invite celebrities to host shows during a line-up transition. Dlamini was certainly well received.

This is what she tweeted earlier today: “ Not only am I opening #SAFW tonight, yes guys, I feel so blessed & honoured to go where “the beat is” on @metrofmsa!”.

Given the current rate of unemployment in South Africa, which rested at a reported 23.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, the spirit of entrepreneurship needs to be encouraged, supported and driven by government.

This brings the question whether a business model of a 24hr business & sports talk radio station would be feasible.

Let’s look at the following options that government might consider to try and influence the young people of this country through radio communication.

A combination of Business talk, Sports Talk and music.

The Department of Communication could apply to ICASA for a national radio station licence for a public service talk radio station; the station would be part of SABC’s 18 public service radio station portfolio. The idea is to make sure that it is not a commercially driven station because profits and development sometimes don’t go hand in hand in the long run.

The format of the station would ideally look like this:

Breakfast:

A breakfast show in the morning that will be interviews intensive, it would be a mix of business and sports talk to avoid making it too heavy for early morning radio. The  National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) would be given a slot once a week to come to the studio for an hour to explain to the listeners how they work, the processes of applying for funding etc. Whatever queries that are raised with them would be followed up by the station and feedback given to the complainant. National Empowerment Fund (NEF) could also have its own hour slot whereby they will also provide advice to the emerging entrepreneurs on how to write a proper business plan, things that they look for when they get an application for funding. A sports slot would be in between the news and interviews.

Music:

A bit of music could be played every now and then just to give listeners a break from attentive listening. Company news would also be covered in detail, getting some of the leading business leaders to come and share their success stories with the nation. Once a week have an audience live on the studio interviewing these leaders, the station could also run a mentorship programme whereby they connect the young entrepreneurs with seasoned business men and women. Organization like Raizcorp could also come to the studio and explain their programme that they are running of saving ailing small businesses, as most start-up companies usually struggle or end up failing within the first 2yrs of operati

What about SAfm?

Some people might say SAfm is a national talk radio station owned by government and run by the SABC, so why would we waste taxpayers’ money by duplicating products? The answer is that SAfm is a current affairs talk station, yes it covers a bit of business but so does Metrofm. The idea here is to promote entrepreneurship among young people of South Africa by driving the same message everyday and offering support and advice, so far the most effective way of communicating would be radio.

Would it sustain itself or be funded by taxpayers’ money?

If run properly the, this type of station would generate more than enough revenue to cover its running costs and even make profit even though that shouldn’t be the focus. The only threat to the sustainability of this station is politics; we’ve seen in the past five years or so what has been happening at the SABC. If this station were to be used to score political points or settle political scores then it might as well be left in the hands of the private sector.

Outsource the whole station

The other option for the government, in order to avoid political manipulation and influence in the content would be to outsource the management and running of the station to a private company. However the mandate must be clear that it’s not a commercial venture but a public service station, whose objective is to create a platform for the young entrepreneurs and athletes to develop and enhance their skills through listening and participating in the shows. The only challenge is that this has never been done before in the country, it will be a ground breaking broadcasting model that could be used in future.

The isiSwati broadcast radio station reaches its milestone on 31 March, 2012. Ligwalagwala FM celebrates its 30^th birthday with a line up of 30 artists. To usher in their big birthday, Ligwalagwala FM plans to put into action some new and exciting innovations. It is on good authority that a new presenter from a popular commercial radio station will be joining the station family. In addition to that, a promising young presenter will add to the unveiling of the new station changes; all of which will be revealed on 1 April, 2012.

The event will take place in Nelspruit, at the Mbombela Staduim with a variety of entertainers who will keep the energy of the day upbeat. Part of the list of entertainers includes the likes of Rebecca, Sifiso Ncwane, Sipho Makhabane, Chillax, Shota, Bouga Luv, Shisa boy, Nativz Squad, Madumane, Shabba, Dj Afro amongst many others. There is no entrance fee; however attendees will need to provide a pass. Further details will be released closer to the date by the radio station on the frequency 92.5 FM.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Ligwalagwala FM has an average daily audience of 916 000.
• Ligwalagwala fm listeners are progressive and brand-conscious.
• It primarily targets the age bracket between 25-49 years.
• Ligwalagwala Fm listeners are concentrated in the Mpumalanga, Gauteng regions, and spill over to Swaziland and Maputo.
• The station offers a perfect mix of news, music, current affairs, talk show, education, sport, weather and traffic.
•  The music offering includes Jazz, African traditional music, R&B, Kwaito, House and Gospel.

By: Mpho Smart

Born in Musina, Limpopo, in 1966, Josias Ncube did not seem destined for big things in his early life. He was kicked out from several schools because of his crazy antics.

When Ncube was just twelve years old, he moved to Nzhelele where he schooled for a couple of years. The relocation proved too much of an upheaval for the teenager. The move was a shotgun that started the race for the radio personality. He remembers his uncle saying he started obsessing about radio when they moved back to Musina. From that point onwards, the Capricorn FM DJ and programmes manager made a promise to himself to make a success of his life.  After leaving school, Ncube, studied at both the University of the North and University of Venda where he trained to become a teacher.  From there it was but a short jump to Polokwane.

The job that really propelled him into the nation’s consciousness was his Love Zone slot on Sundays, a mid-day show. Ncube plumbed for Capricorn FM and months later was given carte blanche to front Love Zone, a show that has been running successfully for several years.

The radio bosses were so impressed with his wacky presenting style that he is able to pick and choose his next move. It was not Ncube’s presenting skills which netted him his position, however, but rather his fierce business acumen. He negotiated his shares in Capricorn FM and became its programmes manager.

Ncube has not always worked in broadcast media. He started out as a teacher at age 20.  But after only 18 months of ‘repeating’ himself, and without any job lined up or in the pipeline he left teaching. He pursued his first love, radio, and in 1989 Ncube joined Radio Thohoyandou where he compiled music shows, produced and presented news bulletins. The radio station was later dismantled and incorporated into the SABC, where he worked for Phalaphala FM between 1998 and 2006. He left his gig at Phalaphala FM in 2006.

In 2007, Ncube’s dream of being part of an English radio station targeted at a black audience to fill in the gap left by the dismantling of former bantustan radio stations, became reality. He teamed up with a bunch of guys who had the same vision.  This was the birth of Capricorn FM. “This was a platform which gave one control to determine what to put out there. Our people were fed radio that wasn’t necessarily suitable to their needs,” says Ncube.

Ncube is single and describes himself as ‘extremely private’. He says determination, passion for radio and hard work are attributes that best sum up his character. Capricorn FM is his home and he plans to invest more in the business.

Ncube is a natural communicator who loves talking. He says: “I have always loved attention and radio is an outlet for me to share my thoughts and experiences. Love Zone makes love sound sweeter than it actually is. But most importantly it spreads the love. I just love coming to work every day and being part of the decision making for what we put out there. Nothing beats that.”

By: Nathi Khumalo

Do you still remember how life was before the internet was born? If you can, then imagine how life would have been if there was no radio but internet.  These days you can listen to radio via the internet regardless of the geographical location or footprint of that particular station. That is the internet fitting in or taking radio consumption to a different level, even though DStv already has an audio bouquet that has a whole list of radio stations you can listen to through pay-tv. However television is a visual device, people expect to see pictures and movement not just listening to a voice or music.

Radio a cheaper medium

The obvious advantage that radio would have had was that it is free; you pay nothing for listening to radio in your home, cell phone or car. The only cost is for buying a device that is used to consume the medium and that’s it. If internet came first we would be getting our news from TV and online news networks only, that would mean poorer communities would still be starved of information because of broadband affordability. So an opportunity for radio to brand itself as a cheap but effective would arise, advertisers would start considering moving some of their spend to radio since it would have been freely available to everyone. If you are an advertiser and your target market is lower LSM group, you would definitely jump into the opportunity.

Broadband cost too high?

Some might argue and say the cost of broadband would have reduced by now, so radio would have struggled to make its mark in the industry. Currently it is more expensive to advertise on radio than online, due to radio’s ability to play commercials repetitively until the message reaches the target market.

These are all what ifs, meaning it didn’t happen radio did come first before the internet. However this is the question many radio stations should be asking themselves if they want to survive. If they can come up with the right answers of how to take advantage of the internet then they will definitely survive this beast called the internet.

The excitement is palpable as there is officially less than a month to go until MTN hosts the annual Radio Awards gala banquet.

Contrary to popular belief, radio is still the dominant mass-medium in Africa, with the widest geographical reach and the highest audiences compared with television (TV), newspapers and other information and communication technologies (ICTs). According to Western Cape Primedia Broadcasting manager, Karl Gostner,” [radio] has the ability to have instant interaction and reaction on any topic or issue. [It] has a feedback channel that allows for the quick flow of information”.

With that said, the MTN Radio Awards are to honour this great medium as well as to “promote and recognise excellence in radio, with the objective of ensuring that radio remains one of South Africa’s foremost media choices”. The judging panel was announced by MTN Radio Awards Chairman, Rich Mkhondo and MTN Radio Awards CEO, Lance Rothschild. The panel will select the category winners using a set guideline to eliminate any possibilities of bias. Jeremy Maggs (Founder MTN Radio Awards), David Mashabela (Radio Presenter and Consultant), and Koos Radebe (Former Station Manager of Metro FM) form part of the list of confirmed judges.

The Gala Banquet will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 14th April. To enhance the festivities, the event will be followed by an after party. Join Radiobiz, as we will be counting down the days to the big day by follow up articles on anticipated category winners, accompanied by industry opinions.

For more information, visit http://www.mtnradioawards.co.za/index.html

South African musicians waited with baited breath as the 18th Annual Music Awards revealed their list of nominees the morning of March 8, 2012. The announcement, which was made at the Turbine Hall, in Johannesburg’s Newtown District, set the music and media industry on high anticipation of the upcoming event.

The prestigious occasion will take part on April 29, 30 at Sun City in North West. Randall Abrahams, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN SAMA, and Serame Taukobong, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), approved the big revelation which was announced by veteran South African musicians. These were namely; Loyiso Bala, HHP, Kabelo Mabalane, Solly Mahlangu, Kurt Darren, Ziyon Hamilton (Liquideep), Matshediso Mholo (Malaika), Greg Carlin (Zebra & Giraffe), Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse and Lira.

There are 29 categories in which South African musicians who have excelled in the past year are recognized and acknowledged. Some of the most coveted awards, amongst others fall under the category ‘Record of The Year’, ‘Album of The Year’ and ‘Best Artist of The Year’. Dominating the nominations for 2012 was Zahara, who managed to secure herself seven nominations in the respective categories. MiCasa, and Zakwe also stood out, each securing five nominations in the respective categories.

For more information, visit: http://samusicawards.co.za/

By Mpho Smart

POWER 98.9 FM is poised to launch after winning a licence from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) last year.

Preparations for the launch of the new talk show station in Gauteng are underway. Given Mkhari, one of the owners of the new station, said landing a broadcast licence was a dream come true. Winning the licence was a watershed moment for the Richtrau consortium which comprises companies owned by businessmen Mkhari and Sandile Zungu.  Zungu is the Executive Chairman of Zungu Investments Company (ZICO) which was established in 2002. ZICO is involved in financial services, mining, general services, gaming, book publishing and media.

Power FM will compete for SABC’s SAFM and Primedia’s Radio 702 audiences with its broad coverage of current affairs. Mkhari, a co-founder and chief executive officer of MSG Afrika Investment (MSGAI), said the station would be targeted primarily at the growing black middle class. He said the station would provide a platform for the audience to ‘freely’ share and debate issues that affect them. Mkhari believes there is a need for a radio service for an audience somewhere between SAFM and Radio 702 and that the market was elastic enough to accommodate more players in the country.

MSGAI co-owns the first and only commercial radio station in Limpopo, Capricorn FM. The government’s aim in awarding additional commercial broadcasting licences is to facilitate the involvement of historically disadvantaged communities into the radio industry. Mkhari said: “The licensing process seems to have addressed inequalities from a transformation perspective.” He said the industry has a lot of work to do still.

ICASA had received 41 applications in response to its invitation to apply for broadcasting licences in 2009. Richtrau is looking to launch the station in June.

The outspoken 5fm radio DJ was arrested for speeding last night, Tuesday, March 6, 2012. It is reported that he was caught by the Gauteng traffic police driving 182 kilometres an hour in a 120km/h zone. Although his time in jail was brief, as quoted during an interview on Radio 702 earlier today, “I spent a couple of minutes behind bars, like a bad ass… but I was glad to be back home.”

Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter went buzzing once people got wind of the news. Cliff tweeted; “rumours of my imprisonment are greatly exaggerated,” shortly after his release last night.

According to the Independent Online (IOL), the contentious DJ is expected to appear in court in Pretoria today (Wednesday) March 7, 2012 on charges of speeding and reckless or negligent driving.