Duma FM To Go On Air In November

TUMELO SETSHOGO
Correspondent | Friday September 28, 2007 00:00

'Hopefully without fail we will start broadcasting by the first week of November. We are certain that we will be available on air,' said the chief executive officer of the Duma FM, Moreri Gabakgore. He said that their license required them to be operational within 12 months after they have been awarded the license, 'and we still have up to at least April 2008 to be on air.' The station has been awarded a 15-year license.

Other radio stations that were awarded broadcasting licenses are Gabz FM and Yarona FM. The new radio station (Duma FM) was supposed to have gone on air at the end of September but it failed to meet the deadline due to unavailability of equipment. 

Gabakgore said they were not able to start broadcasting by September as they wished because their suppliers delayed in delivering the equipment. He told Monitor that, 'it took long for the suppliers to have delivered the equipment on time hence the delay to start operating as we had planned. But they (equipment) have now arrived and are in South Africa for assessment.' The equipment was ordered from Europe.

The radio station, which is located in Gaborone North opposite Phakalane, comprises of three support studios, which are the newsroom, program and production. 'This is where our equipment will be located. As you can see they are convenient and compatible studios,' said Gabakgore. One of the shareholders, Patrick Masimole said, 'they are beautiful studios though empty. It's a pity because there is no equipment and I can assure you that by mid October there is going to be some development going on here.'

Meanwhile 11 presenters have been short-listed and are being oriented on the ground rules and they will decide on whom to hire after this processes. 'We are equipping them with the necessary skills so that when we start, they are ready,' added Gabakgore, said that they are working hard to make sure that the station is up and running.

Asked about their target market, he said they are going to cater for all ages. He told Monitor that they will use both Setswana and English for broadcasting. 'The programs are ready and are waiting for us to go on air.' The station has divided its roll out plan according to phases where phase one which includes Gaborone, Palapye and other places will receive their waves first. Phase two includes Rakops, Gumare and other surrounding places and the last phase covers Tutume, Francistown and other surrounding places. The phases have been allocated five years each, which will make a total of 15 years as per the license specifications. 'Our engineers are busy going around the country to assess where we can locate the transmitters,' confessed Gabakgore.

The radio station comprises of former Radio Botswana presenters in the likes of Gabakgore and Geoffrey Motshidisi in the management. The shareholders include Mogoditshane MP, Masimolole, and Molepolole South and Presidential Affairs Minister Daniel Kwelagobe are also former employees of the government owned station.