SAfm
{{short description|National public radio station in South Africa}}
{{For|the regional radio station in Adelaide, Australia|SAFM}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}
{{Use South African English|date=July 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = SAfm
| logo = File:SAfm (South Africa).gif
| airdate = 1936
| former_names = {{plainlist|
- "A" Programme
- English Service (1937–1985)
- Radio South Africa (1985–1995)
}}
| frequency = 104–107 MHz FM{{cite book|title=The Annual Guide to Radio in South Africa (AdVantage 2012)|year=2012|publisher=Media 24}}{{cite web |title=SABC public broadcasting stations |url=http://www.southafrica.info/about/media/861605.htm#.UYoP9h1OQ3Q |work=Brand S.A country portal|accessdate=8 May 2013}}
| city =
| area = South Africa
| format = News radio, talk radio
| owner = SABC
| coordinates =
| webcast = {{URL|http://www.antfarm.co.za/clients/safm/safm_22.asx}}
| website = {{URL|safm.co.za}}
}}
SAfm is a national, English-language public radio station in South Africa. It has been operated by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) since its founding in 1936.{{cite web |title=About SAfm: Station Profile |url=http://www.safm.co.za/sabc/home/safm/aboutus |website=safm.co.za |publisher=SAfm |access-date=10 July 2017}}
History
SAfm was the SABC's first radio station, and the country's first public radio station. From 1924 to 1936, the only radio service in South Africa was a privately owned station called JB, which broadcast to the cities of Johannesburg, Durban, and (later) Cape Town. An Act of Parliament in 1936 made official the conversion of JB into a public broadcaster.{{cite book |chapter=The South African Advertising Scene § Electronic Media |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dU2Yz3u9lMoC&pg=PA89 |title=Introduction to Public Relations and Advertising |last=du Plessis |first=D. F.
|publisher=Juta and Company |year=2000 |page=89 |isbn=978-0-7021-5557-4 |oclc=45558082 |via=Google Books}}
In its early days as a public radio service, the station was called the "A" Programme. When the SABC started an Afrikaans-language station in 1937, the two stations came to be called the English Service and the Afrikaans Service, respectively. In 1985 the English Service was renamed Radio South Africa; it has had its current name, SAfm, since 1995. The SAfm studio is now in SABC Radio Park, in the Johannesburg suburb of Auckland Park.{{cite web |title=Contact Us |url=http://www.safm.co.za/sabc/home/safm/contactus |website=safm.co.za |publisher=SAfm |access-date=10 July 2017}}
Programming
From 1995 to 2003, it gradually reduced the scope of its programming from a general, multi-genre format to a news and talk radio format. In 2006, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa required SAfm to re-add drama and children's radio programmes, and these are now among the station's offerings. In 2012, SAfm was broadcasting 24 hours per day.
Audience figures
Most SAfm listeners are in age range of 35 to 49, and LSM groups 7–10.{{explain|date=July 2017}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width:500px; height:200px;"
|+Estimated number of listeners{{cite web |url=http://www.saarf.co.za/rams-presentations |title=SAARF RAMS (Presentations) |website=saarf.co.za |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415195236/http://www.saarf.co.za/rams-presentations |archive-date=15 April 2013 |df=dmy-all }} ! scope="col" | Month !! scope="col" | 7-day !! scope="col" | Average Monday–Friday |
| scope="row"| May 2013
| 645,000 | 281,000 |
|---|
| scope="row"| February 2013
| 566,000 | 263,000 |
| scope="row"| December 2012
| 517,000 | 218,000 |
| scope="row"| October 2012
| 516,000 | 218,000 |
| scope="row"| August 2012
| 550,000 | 219,000 |
| scope="row"| June 2012
| 540,000 | 221,000 |
See also
{{Portal|Radio|South Africa}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{SABC}}
{{Greater Johannesburg|media}}
{{coord missing|South Africa}}