Touch HD extends and improves line-up
Radio revamp comes after growing demand
FROM today, Touch HD will offer its listeners improved content as it introduces new talents, extends the line-up of some shows, while other fan favourites keep their slots.
The changes to the online radio station were part of the revamp in a bid to expand their audience base and reach.
Among the changes to the line-up are local rap sensation AKA presenting his own podcast.
Although this will be available only from the end of the month, the Super Mega, as he is affectionately known, is expected to draw in many listeners as he has an impressive following.
The musician’s show will be introduced as part of Touch HD’s specially created shows, which will not form a part of the daily line-up but will be made exclusively available on the digital radio station’s application as a podcast for download and streaming.
Another of these exclusive-for-download podcasts is a comedy show hosted by funnymen Eugene Khoza and Simmi Areff. The show, called, Funny You Said That, will be made available on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Broadcasting veteran Thabo “Tbo Touch” Molefe, who founded Touch HD, said he was thrilled about the changes to the line-up.
“Touch HD is about making moves that are completely unexpected. We are all about creating a futuristic listening experience for our audience,” he said.
“We’re incredibly proud to make Touch HD a new creative haven for AKA, Eugene Khoza and Simmi Areff.”
The station’s manager, Martin Vilakazi, said the specially created shows made exclusively for download or streaming were becoming increasingly popular and would be made to fit into the listener’s lifestyle.
“We have discovered that people enjoy listening to their favourite shows at their own convenience by downloading podcasts to listen to at a later stage,” he said.
“Some shows have enjoyed thousands of downloads per show and this has led to a focus of creating shows that are strictly available on podcast.”
Meanwhile, the current affairs show The Tim Modise Network, which had the highest number of podcast downloads at the station, has been extended from its Monday and Tuesday slot to include Wednesday and Thursday.
“This is largely due to the high calibre of guests that Tim has played host to from all spheres of influence, such as politics and business,” said Vilakazi.
Modise will also be hosting a Sunday Jazz show, which Vilakazi said would get listeners to wind down after the weekend and get ready for the week ahead.
Former Our Perfect Wedding local reality show host Thembisa Mdoda will also be getting more airtime.
Her show, Let’s Do Lunch, will be extended by two hours every weekday and will have the new time slotsof 10pm-1pm from Monday to Friday.
Apart from these changes to Touch HD’s line-up, other shows and their hosts will remain the same.
This includes The Expensive Breakfast hosted by Glen Lewis and Nina Hastie from 7am to 10am every weekday morning, and T-Bo Touch and Katlicious on Touchdown from Monday to Friday from 3pm to 6pm.
Independent Media’s very own journalist Helen Herimbi will be presenting a show on the station on Sundays between 7am and 10am.