SABC - New appointments in commercial radio portfolio

SABC commercial radio has announced a number of management changes reflecting the broader restructuring and implementation of a new strategy in the commercial radio portfolio.

The changes see senior staff being deployed across the portfolio for maximum impact.

5FM Station Manager Anthony Duke has been seconded to Good Hope FM to oversee the implementation of the new strategy for the Cape Town based station. Leo Manne, Metro FM’s programming manager, joins Duke at Good Hope FM as a programme advisor.

Current 5FM marketing manager John Langford has been appointed the acting station manager and Helen Graham acting marketing manager. Completing the 5FM management portfolio is Nick Grubb, the recently appointed programming manager.

All appointments are effective from 9 September.

Commented Randall Abrahams General Manager Public Commercial radio: "We are currently in the process of implementing a new strategy across the entire public commercial radio portfolio and have deployed our best resources to achieve those objectives."

"Radio is a fluid business that continually demands change if we are to respond to a dynamic market and meet our revenue, marketing and audience objectives," added Abrahams. "That requires that we continually look at the effectiveness of our management and DJ line up if we are to remain competitive."

Anthony Duke’s temporary secondment will see him drive the implementation of a new programming strategy for Good Hope FM. Duke, who is widely regarded as one of the country’s leading broadcasters, commented: "As a broadcaster I relish opportunities like this and regard it as a new challenge for me to contribute to the portfolio and objectives we have set ourselves. 5FM, I am happy to say, remains in very capable hands with John Langford having a good understanding of the station."

Duke was instrumental in starting the country’s first independent radio station Capital Radio 604 in 1979. He then spent three years as a broadcast consultant in Africa, before being asked to take over 5 FM where he has been station manager for 7 years.

John Langford began his radio career at 5FM before leaving to join the P4 Cape Town start up team, where he rose to the position of station manager. For the past two years he has been marketing manager at 5FM and was part of the SABC commercial radio strategy team.

Helen Graham has been 5FM’s event co-ordinator for 5FM for the past two years having started in the promotion and marketing of the 5FM breakfast show with DJ Mark Gillman.

Leo Manne, who will advise on programme strategy for Good Hope FM and provide market intelligence on the Cape Town market for Metro FM, has been at Metro FM for a year having been part of the start up teams at YFM, Voice of Wits and Voice of Soweto.

Duke will return to the commercial radio portfolio in January where he’ll handle all radio training across the entire portfolio.