Glen Lewis quits Radio 2000 for Kaya FM gig
Veteran presenter not interested in renewing his contract
Mzansi’s urban and commercial radio guru, Glen Lewis, who hosts Radio 2000’s morning breakfast, has resigned from the station.
Glen Lewis, real name Mpotseng Tshinaba , is said to be joining popular Gauteng regional and commercial radio station, Kaya FM, next month.
Employees of Radio 2000, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, said Glenzito, as Glen Lewis is affectionately known in the entertainment orbit, told the station mandarins he was not interested in renewing his contract and being part of the new line-up, which is going to be announced next month.
The employee said that when the powers that be asked him whether he had joined a rival radio station, Glen Lewis told them that although there were a few carrots dangled at him, he had not made up his mind and was weighing his options.
“But he told us in confidence that his next move is to go to Kaya FM and that he had already put pen to paper,” said the employee.
Another employee said Glen Lewis, who hosts the Morningbuzz on Radio 2000, one of the SABC’S biggest urban commercial radio stations, told them he is going to be the anchor of the afternoon drive show on Kaya FM.
The employees said Kaya FM broke the bank to secure Glen Lewis’s signature as part of its strategy to incrementally increase its listenership and ramp up its advertising revenue.
“He did not tell us how much they were offering him, but he would not have left a radio station of Radio 2000 ‘s stature for a regional radio station if the offer was not mouth watering,” said the employee.
But also, said the employee, Glen Lewis was tired of waking up in the wee hours every morning for his off-chain breakfast show. “Because his show starts at 6 am and ends at 9 am, he is expected to be at work around 4 am, and that’s taxing. I bet you can do that when you are still young, but when you reach his age, it becomes difficult.”
Glen Lewis cut his teeth in the radio industry when he joined Radio Thohoyandou in the 1980s before going to Radio Bop and Metro FM, where he became a household name. He could not be reached for comment.
SABC declined to comment.
Kaya FM broke the bank to secure Glen Lewis’s signature