Radio station 702 eyes Jo'burg FM frequencyReesha Chibba | Johannesburg, South Africa Primedia's Talk Radio 702 has its sights set on Johannesburg's last available FM signal because it says it suffers from poor audio quality on medium wave.

 

Medium wave is popular all over the world for talk radio stations.

 

Omar Essack, rival Kagiso Media's executive director of broadcasting, said Johannesburg's 92.7 FM signal is "the absolute last" available and "extremely valuable".

 

He said allocating that frequency should be open to everyone and that everybody should have an equal opportunity to obtain a licence to use it.

 

Essack added that 702 applied to migrate to the FM frequency even though the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) had not opened up applications for the frequency.

 

According to a Business Day article on Tuesday, Kagiso Media on Monday made an "oral presentation to Icasa against the 702 switch" because it said the move "will deny new players the opportunity to enter South Africa's most lucrative radio market".

 

However, Talk Radio 702 station manager Pheladi Gwangwa told the Mail & Guardian Online: "We are not applying for a new licence. We're applying for an amendment to our existing licence."

 

She said the South African Broadcasting Corporation often applies for amendments to its licence to switch from AM to FM.

 

Gwangwa confirmed that 702 had applied for its current medium-wave signal to be swapped to FM in June this year.

 

"The transmitter is 25 years old, the technology is outdated and the manufacturer has ceased the manufacture thereof. There are no longer any spare parts available," she added.

 

Gwangwa said other reasons for 702 wanting to change to FM include "the rapid construction of high-rise buildings and the erection of cellphone masts [that] severely interferes with the AM signal".

 

"Our transmitter is located 71km away from the target audience and the signal bounces off five mountain ranges, which results in a deterioration of the signal."

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?artic...news__national/

 

The one and only CapeFish.... :mischief

For anyone who needs it, here is the national flag:

 

 

And of course, a map:

Very interesting. It looks like South Africa borders Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and of course, Zimbabwe.

The official languages are Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi, Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, and Venda.

It should be noted that not all radio stations in South Africa broadcast in the same tongue. Take note:

 

Radio South Africa (English)

 

Radio 5 (English)

 

Afrikaans Stereo

 

Radio 2000 (English and Afrikaans)

 

Good Hope Stereo (Bilingual: English and Afrikaans)

 

Radio Jakaranda (English and Afrikaans, mainly English)

 

Highveld Stereo (English)

 

Radio Metro (African Service in English)

 

Radio Swazi

 

Radio Ndebele

 

Radio Sesotho

 

Setswana Stereo

 

Radio Tsonga

 

Radio Lotus (Indian service in English)