DJs in the April Fool's mix

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DJs in the April Fool's mix

By: Tshepiso Seopa

It is that time of the year again when radio stations have been doing their SWOT analyses, reflecting on their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and possible threats in the year ahead. Over the years, this period has come to be known for everyone being very discreet about their intentions and a lot of speculation about whose contract will be renewed and whose won't.

Last week Bizcommunity.com reported that Just-Ice will be leaving Kaya FM at the end of the month to join Radio 2000. The controversial Phat Joe started at Kaya last week, doing breakfast from 5am until 9am. Award-winning DJ Sbu is said to be leaving Ukhozi FM at the end of the month to rejoin Y FM on 1 April 2008. Grant Nash and Anele Ndoda will be leaving Primedia-owned 94.7 Highveld Stereo to join 5fm – which DJ Ian F and Kevin Fine are leaving.

“Talent pull is small”

According to Bizcommunity.com's marketing analyst Chris Moerdyk, “Talent pull for DJs, radio personalities and talk show hosts is very small. Radio stations don't want to experiment with new talent for fear of losing listeners. Instead they would rather poach from the small pool of well-known talent. They are always looking at what everybody else is doing and then poaching from them.”

This trend of radio DJs moving from station to station can also be attributed to the fact that in South Africa DJs are not paid as well as compared to the DJs overseas. “They make a lot of money doing corporate events and other gigs than in broadcasting – that is why we see them always accepting better offers from other stations, if not rival stations,” says Moerdyk.

“In fact this is not a radio thing only; even newspapers and magazines experience such a thing [but] the trend is not so much with TV. Management is paranoid with fear of making their employees [into] celebrities – this is a mockery – and they refuse to pay them better salaries. These people have their own personalities, are outgoing [and] confident, [and] they tend to clash with management and move on to other places.

“Presenters make themselves”

“In the radio industry it's a long way to go for new talent to develop and be well–known. Some people start in production or even newsrooms before they can get their own shows, for example, Gareth Cliff started doing a show in the middle of the night at 702. All I am trying to say here is that: presenters make themselves. Radio stations give them a small platform so they can prove themselves, then the rest is all up to them,” adds Moerdyk.

YFM has confirmed speculations that on air personalities such as Pabi Moloi, Amon Mokoena, Mr T Mataboge, Lundiso Tantsi AKA Lucy Tan, Sandile Tshabalala (better known as Sanza da Fanatik) and Tumisang ‘Tumi' Mochekele are leaving the station at the end of the month.

When asked about the station's plans for the year ahead, the new programmes manager Vukile Zonke said, “The underlying idea behind any changes this fiscal year will, quite simply, aim to bring YFM back to the youth. A youth that is highly informed, upwardly mobile and extremely ambitious”.

“We are busy with negotiations around this and other matters as far as our line-up is concerned. As a result, I cannot delve much into this purely for strategic reasons.”