ManMade radio relaunch offers new line-up with Bay sourced talent
In an effort to develop skills and offer local talent an opportunity to be recognised, online radio station ManMade Radio launched its new line-up with eight new presenters and three newsreaders, all from Nelson Mandela Bay.
The event, hosted at Profiles Health Club in Walmer on Saturday, showcased the newly invigorated radio line-up after months of preparation by the station’s management.
Station manager Sandy McCowen said the aim of the station was to educate, inform and entertain listeners, which they believed would be achieved through the new recruits, who had been training with radio broadcasting stalwarts including Selwyn Willis and Tasco Festile.
Festile, who has been in radio for more than 12 years and hosts the station’s morning show as well as its mentorship programme, said it was important to nurture young talent.
“We are very aware of the importance of nurturing and growing local talent and surrounding ourselves with others with the same vision,” Festile said.
The 11 youngsters spent two months training for their new roles, with eight of them set to present their own shows.
Luzuko Mehlomakhulu, 21, of Westering, is one of the new presenters and said his lunchtime show was focused on the youth.
“Through my show I hope to connect with the youth to educate them about what is happening around them,” he said.
Mehlomakhulu studied logistics at Rosebank College and said his interest in radio started while he was shadowing members of BayFM.
“I am very excited about this opportunity,” he said.
Motherwell resident Vuyelwa Kalani, 25, one of the new newsreaders to join the MMR team, said since studying journalism at Nelson Mandela University she had always wanted to be in radio.
“Initially I want to be a newsreader but I have my sights set on presenting as well,” Kalani said.
Fellow newsreader recruit Sinethemba Billy, 28, of Walmer, said being part of the MMR team was a stepping stone for him.
“This is my first radio gig and radio has been a passion of mine,” he said.
Invited guest speaker at the event, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro speaker Jonathan Lawack, said it was important for the youth of the metro to be involved in the media to inform others.
“Your role is directly to inform others and to enable our democracy ... by becoming an educator.
“The media becomes a platform for dialogue, interaction and debate,” Lawack said.
He warned that it was important to be truthful and balanced in reporting.
“When the media becomes slack, politicians take the opportunity,” Lawack said.
Owner of Profiles and CEO of MMR Helen Mentzel said it was an exciting challenge to become involved in starting a local radio station.
Mentzel said the station had applied for a license to broadcast on an FM frequency and hoped to do so by the end of the year.