The joke's on YFM readers

On Monday, 31 March 2008, YFM revealed its new lineup, to which there was a total outcry and many Bizcommunity.com readers reacted by posting sarcastic comments, some of which branding the lineup boring and disappointing and predicting the station's ‘sudden death'. Then, according to the youth station's website and news bulletins, the controversial Pillay was sacked Tuesday morning following a report in the Monday issue of Daily Sun that the station was struggling to make ends meet.

Flurry of speculation

This resulted in a further flurry of speculation by sceptical listeners and Bizcommunity.com readers, who had already been voting the new lineup as an April Fool's joke, that this was just another.

But one insider told Bizcommunity.com that Pillay's sacking was imminent as he seemed to have lost steam to pull the station out of the ‘purgatory'. “Things are very bad in there at the moment. Just look at their lineup and their content and you will understand that the station has really fallen on hard times. I am afraid if things do not change soon, YFM might be forced to close down,” the source said last night on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Many observers continue to blame Pillay's style of management for causing the exodus of several talented and experienced DJs and sales and marketing staff.

Yesterday's hoax also coincided with the launch of the station's revamped multimedia website, Yworld, which includes blogs, podcasts, audio streaming and galleries for greater community interaction.

Burning issues

For more information, listen to the YFM podcast in which Pillay talks about the station's burning issues – including his style of management – and saying that many people who post comments on Bizcommunity.com have grown with the station and are now in their 30s but still wish the station to be the way it was 10 years ago.

The reports in Sowetan and Daily Sun alleging that YFM is in financial trouble are also mentioned in the podcast interview.

The hoax news bulletin in full from the Yfm website:

Controversial YFM CEO sacked

Controversial YFM CEO Kanthan Pillay has been fired. YFM News has learned that the YFM board dismissed Pillay after a heated meeting of shareholders this morning. Sources say Pillay's dismissal stems from yesterday's report in the mass circulating Daily Sun newspaper, which said the station was struggling to make ends meet. The report says YFM, one-time the leading youth radio in Gauteng is struggling to resume its once vibrant glow, after the power struggles in the station and the departure of the Shabba Muleya, Bad Boy T, Bondo Nthuli and Greg Moloka. This morning's meeting coincided with the launch of the new Yworld website which was launched at midnight. The station has also completed its first Y academic programme with 12 radio DJs graduating from the programme. Pillay is adamant the programme was successful adding that a significant number of the Y academic gradutes have been retained by the station. He has refused to comment about his sacking only saying he will release a statement later in the day.

The bulletin this morning, Wednesday, 2 April 2008, from the Yfm website:

Kanthan aint going nowhere

Boo hoo, Kanthan Pillay is here to stay. Hundreds of people were caught napping by our April Fools Joke yesterday. People are still commenting in web blogs on the said dismissal of YFM CEO Kanthan Pillay. YFM News coined a classic story yesterday saying Pillay was given the boot following a heated dispute during a recent shareholders' meeting. Even reports that the station's top DJ Chilli M had been appointed acting CEO did not give the game away. The joke stems from a Monday report by the mass circulating Daily Sun newspaper that the station is struggling during Pillay's watch. The paper reports this yawn as fact without a giving Y management a right to set the record straight. The joke was a stroke to expose the lunacy of recent reports that YFM is in financial distress, is losing listerners and is up for sale. The truth is that YFM is at an interesting phase where it is expected to set new trends in radio broadcasting. The big project spear-headed by Pillay is expected to combine radio, print media and audio visual media in one pot.

Update 3 April 2008: According to the podcast, DJ Sbu is not joining YFM or any radio station but is exploring opportunities off air.