Community Radio Stations in South Africa (Three)

Tuks FM

Tuks FM was founded in 1980, under the name Radio Tuks. The station officially began broadcasting to the Pretoria University campus cafeteria on 22 April 1981 through landlines (SRC, 2002).

Between 1982 and 1984, the station expanded, and in 1995, new FM studios were constructed and opened. At the start of the new millennium, the first permanent station director was appointed, which coincided with the name change from Radio Tuks to Tuks FM (National Association of Broadcasters of South Africa, 2004).

In 2000 and 2001, Tuks FM made several major accomplishments:

In 2000, the first South African music show was launched, as well as the highly successful 'Listener's Top 5'. Tuks FM also arranged a New Year's Party at Menlyn Events Arena, which turned out to be Pretoria's largest ever New Year's event, attracting over 5500 people (SRC, 2002).

In 2001, Tuks FM celebrated its 20th Birthday at the Menlyn IMAX theatre, and the official 'Jou Ma!' campaign was launched.

Tuks FM

English: Highperformancentre of University of Pret...

English: Old Merensky Library Building on the Hatf...

This was introduced by the first ever live birth on air (SRC, 2002).

Tuks FM also hosted the 2001 Spring day, attended by approximately 15000 students. Motherland 2001 New Year's Party was another event held by Tuks FM, and was attended by around 8000 people (SRC, 2004).

Tuks FM is broadcast from the University of Pretoria campus, and operates on the frequency 107.2 MHz Stereo (The Media Connection, 1999). It is broadcast all over Pretoria (including the Pretoria University campus), from Hammonskraal to Atteridgeville, Midrand and Kempton Park. The spill-over reaches as far as Warmbaths, Randburg, Krugersdorp and Pietersburg (SRC, 2002).

The slogan of Tuks Fm is 'Your Music. Your Capital' (SRC, 2002), and as such, reflects the tastes of its target market, which is mainly Afrikaans-speaking youth and young adults (The Media Connection, 1999). It is...