New look for Phalaphala FM

“The tagline connects the past with the present and future and tells listeners where we are and what we do - the only radio station entirely dedicated to Tshivenda culture and language,” says station manager, Freddy Sadiki.

It is a contemporary radio station, targeting 16- to 34-year-old aspirational Tshivenda-speaking people. It launched the Tshivenda Music Awards and has seen an increase in the production of Tshivenda music, which it hopes will continue to grow.

“Since the inception of the awards, Vha Venda musicians have been prolific in recording music and supplying the station,” says Zolisilie Mapipa, GM PBS Radio.

“The rebranding is not just about leaving the past, it is about reflecting on our own changes from analogue to digital,” continues Sadiki. “We can now be heard in so many other ways, from digital radio and TV to online. Radio is no longer just in the home or in the car. Listeners are far more engaged now, listening on phones, computers, TVs and the list goes on.”