Bush Radio is one of South Africa's oldest community radio stations, and it's one of the models we studied when drafting India's CR policy. Some of you may remember Tanya Bosch<http://www.flickr.com/photos/51001020@N00/419891410/in/photostream>, formerly of Bush Radio, who attended our first National Consultation on CR in 2007 (One of the memorable slides in her presentation showed a T-shirt that read: "Bush Against War").
The fact that one of South Africa's oldest and best know CR stations is on the verge of closure because they are unable to raise money for rent should give us pause. Ironically, Tanya's presentation at our National Consultation on CR was on 'Social and Financial Sustainability Issues in Community Radio'. Sajan *Bush Radio facing closure* Rusana Philander, 26 Aug http://www.thenewage.co.za/27011-1011-53-Bush_Radio_facing_closure Bush Radio, which has been at the forefront of community broadcasting for more than two decades, is facing closure over unpaid rent and other expenses. The Cape Town-based radio station is struggling to pay its rent and operational costs and needs extra funds. During the apartheid years Bush Radio campaigned against injustice. The station also actively campaigned for a free and independent broadcasting authority. The mother of community radio also played an incredible part in the shaping of the history of the new South Africa. According to managing director Brenda Leonard, their landlord had given them until the end of this month “to come up with a tangible proposal of how to raise money for rent”. “The total cost we are trying to raise is R300000, which will include rent and operational costs until December,” she said. “If we decide to scale down on our projects, it will be to the detriment of the community. Every year we train 60 young people between the ages of six and 18 years in broadcasting. We train them to be radio presenters and to produce programmes. We also have a Youth Against Aids programme in which we engage communities in discussions around the issue. For this programme, we won the Prince Klause Award. We also won several other awards, including a silver medal at the New York Radio Festival, as well as the SABC Community Radio Award for news and current affairs,” she said. It is also at the same radio station where many journalists and others working in the media industry cut their teeth. This includes people like Vernon Adams, the station manager of Heart FM, Sandra Rosenberg from Good Hope FM, and many others. Bush Radio currently has a listenership of 275000 and, according to Leonard, the station is continuing to grow. “It would be a huge loss if the station should close its doors,” she said. For more information, the radio station can be contacted on 021 448 5450.
Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to www.crforum.in
