The people of Limpopo today woke up to the fresh sounds of the South African region’s first black commercial radio station. Six months after receiving its commercial broadcast licence, Capricorn FM began broadcasting from its state-of-the-art studios in Bendor, Polokwane.
The station will broadcast 70% in English and 30% vernacular, incorporating the three dominant ethnic groups in the province (tshiVenda, sePedi, xiTsonga). Capricorn FM will broadcast 24 hours throughout Limpopo with five transmitters that will cover these main towns and areas surrounding them:
96.0 FM: Mokopane/Polokwane - on the air
98.0 FM: Hoedspruit - launching 7 December 2007
105.4 FM: Louis Trichardt - launching 7 December 2007
89.9 FM: Sibasa - launching 14 December 2007
97.6 FM: Tzaneen - launching 14 December 2007
As a commercial radio station, the broadcasting format carries 70% music and 30% talk shows. The music will feature a variety of urban genres in R&B, soul, afro-pop, afro-soul, hip-hop, kwaito, house and also cater for jazz and gospel lovers and what Capricorn FM describes as urban jazz and urban gospel.
(Source: Biz-Community/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)