Southside FM Radio - Cultural Evening Sat February 25 2012

By Marimuthu Subramoney
(aka Subry Govender)



The new community radio station, Southside FM Radio, will broadcast from the premises of the Merebank Tamil School Society(MTSS) sometime early in the new year.
A senior official of Southside FM, Mr Balan Gounder, who is also chairperson of the MTSS, said in a statement that the MTSS had decided to make the premises available because Southside FM was seen as an important and vital cultural vehicle for the south Indian-origin community.
"We are currently in the process of sealing off a large office for the construction of the studio and other facilities," said Mr Gounder.
He said in preparation for the launch of the radio station, the Southside Management Committee would hold a major cultural evening at the MTSS on Saturday, February 25 next year.
"At the function we will inform our supporters, sponsors and donors about our progress and the launch plans.
"Important stakeholders have come on board and we are planning the launch to coincide with the Tamil and Telugu New Years in April next year if everything goes according to plan.
"We have been working very hard over the past two years and were granted our radio licence recently. We are happy to report that all our efforts are finally paying off," said Mr Gounder.
He said although Southside FM Radio was a Non-Profit Organisation it would be operated strictly on business lines.
"We would strive to be self-sufficient."
He added: "In addition to providing a channel for the promotion of the social, cultural, traditional, and lingustic needs of the community, the radio station will also act as a beacon and moral voice.
"It will be a progressive voice that will promote morals, values and principles that are sorely lacking generally in South African society today."
He said they were currently in final negotiations with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa(ICASA) about the frequency that they would use. The coverage would include areas in and around Durban, up to Stanger on the north coast, Park Rynie on the south and Pietermaritzburg in the West.
ICASA had granted Southside FM a community licence for five years a few months ago.
"After we launch we will apply to extend our service to Port Shepstone, Ladysmith-Newcastle-Dundee region, Johannesburg-Pretoria area, Cape Town and finally Port Elizabeth-East London."