SAfm

National public radio station in South Africa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SAfm is a national, English-language public radio station in South Africa. It has been operated by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) since its founding in 1936.[3]

Frequencies104–107 MHz FM[1][2] & DAB+ Trial In Cape Town Johannesburg and Pretoria
OwnerSABC
First air date
1936
Quick facts Frequencies, Programming ...
SAfm
  • South Africa
Frequencies104–107 MHz FM[1][2] & DAB+ Trial In Cape Town Johannesburg and Pretoria
Programming
FormatNews radio, talk radio
Ownership
OwnerSABC
History
First air date
1936
Former names
  • "A" Programme
  • English Service (1937–1985)
  • Radio South Africa (1985–1995)
Links
Webcastwww.antfarm.co.za/clients/safm/safm_22.asx
Websitewww.safm.co.za/sabc/home/safm
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History

SAfm was the SABC's first radio station, and the country's first public radio station. From 1924 to 1936, the only radio service in South Africa was a privately owned station called JB, which broadcast to the cities of Johannesburg, Durban, and (later) Cape Town. An Act of Parliament in 1936 made official the conversion of JB into a public broadcaster.[4]

In its early days as a public radio service, the station was called the "A" Programme. When the SABC started an Afrikaans-language station in 1937, the two stations came to be called the English Service and the Afrikaans Service, respectively. In 1985 the English Service was renamed Radio South Africa; it has had its current name, SAfm, since 1995.[3] The SAfm studio is now in SABC Radio Park, in the Johannesburg suburb of Auckland Park.[5]

Programming

From 1995 to 2003, it gradually reduced the scope of its programming from a general, multi-genre format to a news and talk radio format. In 2006, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa required SAfm to re-add drama and children's radio programmes, and these are now among the station's offerings.[3] In 2012, SAfm was broadcasting 24 hours per day.[1]

Audience figures

Most SAfm listeners are in age range of 35 to 49, and LSM groups 7–10.[1][3][further explanation needed]

More information Month, 7-day ...
Estimated number of listeners[6]
Month7-dayAverage Monday–Friday
May 2013 645,000 281,000
February 2013 566,000 263,000
December 2012 517,000 218,000
October 2012 516,000 218,000
August 2012 550,000 219,000
June 2012 540,000 221,000
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See also

References

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