IT WAS a happy moment when deputy minister in the Presidency Thembi Siweya unveiled new, state-of-the-art community radio studios on Saturday, 4 June.
Speaking at the launch at the Bushbuckridge Community Radio Station, Mpumalanga, she said it was an honour to unveil the studios with the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA).
She said the agency was set up as a partnership between the government as well as major print and broadcasting companies to develop community and small commercial media.
It was established in 2003 and started providing grant funding to projects in 2004.
The agency’s board member Brenda Leonard said: “Our main function is to give funding through grants to community media, including TV and print. We invite all who qualify to apply to the MDDA.
“Today, we launch these new studios that were made possible through a grant. They also got money for radio productions and a huge power generator to ensure the station is on air even during load shedding.”
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Station chairman Andrew Komane said they were impressed by the agency.
“We are advancing as a community radio. We are moving forward and inspiring everyone to come forward, including the business fraternity.”
Excited station manager Caroline Kintu said: “This help will make us run the station better and unpack information for our community. We were struggling, especially during load shedding when we had to go off air. Now there’s a difference. It’s no longer the same as it was with the old studios.”
