Power FM goes live

19 Jun 2013

Gauteng's newest radio station went live on Tuesday morning and was officially launched by Premier Nomvula Mokonyane.

The talk-radio station has lined up President Jacob Zuma and former president Thabo Mbeki as some of the leading personalities to be interviewed this week.

Broadcasting from its Houghton studios‚ the first broadcast on Tuesday was graced by decision-makers in business‚ politics and the public sector.

The English-medium‚ talk-based commercial radio station began broadcasting with its flagship breakfast show‚ hosted by award-winning business journalist Siki Mgabadeli‚ radio veteran Lawrence Tlhabane (formerly Dube) and news anchor Andrea van Wyk.

"The launch of Power FM is an achievement for freedom of speech‚ black economic empowerment and the advancement of Gauteng as South Africa's economic powerhouse as this will be a platform for meaningful engagement around solutions of making the province and South Africa what we all want it to be‚" Ms Mokonyane said at the launch.

Power FM will be looking to attract urban listeners in the 25-49 age group. The station was awarded the last available FM radio frequency licence by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa in 2011.

Power FM is owned by MSG Afrika Investment Holdings‚ led by Given Mkhari‚ with shareholders including Ndalo Media‚ led by Khanyi Dhlomo‚ and Zico‚ led by Sandile Zungu.

The consortium also owns Limpopo-based Capricorn FM‚ which went on air in November 2007. It now has a listenership of more than 1.5-million and is the only commercial radio station in that province.

Mkhari said the launch was the culmination of five years of hard work.

"The first broadcast was everything we had planned and hoped it would be - fresh‚ entertaining‚ informative and thought-provoking. We are also truly encouraged and humbled by the messages of support we received from our listeners so far‚ who clearly seem to share in our vision to deliver the best radio experience and effect change‚" he said.

Building a listenership will be crucial to attracting advertising revenue. According to the PwC South African Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2010-14‚ radio advertising is expected to top R3.6bn in 2014.

The report expects radio advertising growth to accelerate‚ with an 11.1% increase in 2013 and 12.1% in 2014.

Source: I-Net Bridge

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