LA RETROALIMENTACIÓN DE LA SALA MUUL

Licensing regimes consider the rules and policies that ICASA expects from these stations. The regimes manifest in language policy, format policy and license policy, as outlined in subsequent sections of this study.

4.2.2.1 Language policy

Observations on the language policy focused on the station’s application of the broadcasting languages stated in their licence agreements with ICASA. Both station managers indicated that some listeners voiced their dissatisfaction with the languages the stations used for broadcasting. According to both station managers, some listeners feel excluded, as stations do not broadcast content in their home languages. The station managers highlighted that:

One of the problems that we had as broadcasters was the language issue. There is a university student Facebook group asking why the content is being broadcast in English. The other times it is why there is no Xhosa on the station. (Boitumelo (station manager), 26/10/2016).

We are a multilingual radio station: 60% of our content is in English, 20% is in Afrikaans and 20% is in Sesotho. So broadcasting in Sesotho, which is again a stereotype, because this is a community where we are predominantly Zulu or almost. So then again you are stereotyping that all your black students are Sotho (Anthony (station manager), 29/08/2016).

The shared sentiments of the station managers show that listeners are dissatisfied with the broadcast languages used. This also suggests that there may be a disconnect between the CRS and the communities they are serving. Though both the isiZulu and isiXhosa languages mentioned by listeners have the highest percentages in terms of being a first language for South Africans (22.4% and 15.8%, respectively) (Sinclair, n.d), the same language distribution does not necessarily apply in the Free State Province, where the stations broadcast. Furthermore, stations do not set their own language policies as they are given quotas by ICASA (Mavhungu; 2009) which are developed based on the main languages spoken in the region and by the listeners in the target community.

One way that Station A and B can eliminate the challenge of language exclusion is through making their licence conditions public, including them in their constitution and availing them to the community. This assists the community in understanding that the stations’ language of broadcasting is not their own but a product of ICASA’s language policy. Perhaps, this clarification would reduce the level of dissatisfaction reported in Megwa’s (2007) study, which demonstrates that community members did not listen to their community radio because they broadcast in English. Hence, the sidelining of the language issue could result in listeners boycotting the community stations and ultimately undermine their sustainability.

4.2.2.2 Format policy

The focus here was on the broadcasting format that stations have to adhere to as stipulated under their licence conditions. Format entails whether a station is a ‘talk’ or ‘music’ station. Ofcom (n.d) describes a stations format as encapsulating the character of the service that CRS are obliged to deliver in accordance with the licencing conditions stipulated by ICASA. Station A’s station manager feels that their format policy allows for diversity of music while his programmes manager insisted that listeners believe the station did not engage fully with listeners, because of the station’s format:

Well, I must say in one of our license conditions, the type of music that we play, which is the top 40 format, we can pretty much go any route we want to go, that is actually cool (Anthony (station manager), 29/08/2016).

80% music, 20% talk, we have some suggestions from the listeners to say that there be more talk, maybe 60% music and 40% talk (Anele (programmes manager), 29/08/2016).

In a previous study on Station A, the former programme manager described the top 40 format as “40 songs that are really popular now and are all on the charts on all the radio stations” (Mavhungu; 2009:30). In view of this, it becomes critical for the radio station to publicise its licence conditions so that the community understands the importance of the

stations’ compliance with the terms and conditions set out in the licencing agreement. In addition, employees of these stations need to be careful as not to use ‘talk time’ to discuss music. Mavhungu (2009) established that as much as they enjoy music, presenters should not concentrate on music as a point of discussion, but rather use the music to create an atmosphere and break from topics discussed.

4.2.2.3 License policy

CRS require a broadcasting licence to broadcast. Thus, the licenses guide the CRS’ practices and operations. Anthony, the station manager, indicated that the clear and fixed rules and regulations of their licence influenced the management team’s operations. He commented thus:

From a shared value perspective, obviously my licence helps. We have had a little bit of consistency throughout with the management team and with the presenters to an extent, which has helped with financial sustainability (Anthony (station manager), 29/08/2016).

The above-mentioned statement underscores that broadcasting licences can act as a form of reference, should matters become unclear, as the rules are set out clearly in such documents. The business development director of Abundant Media, Nkopane Maphiri, suggests that broadcasting licences are guidelines that assist CRS to continue their broadcasting while adhering to rules (Bratt, 2012). Such guidelines create consistency in the management team, as there should be fewer deviations from the rules and agreements as regulations are clearly set out.