Swapping airwaves for dancing
Zandile Bokwana
A RADIO station manager is swapping the airwaves for the dance floor after six years in the job.
Bay FM manager Jacques Arendt resigns as the manager at the end of this month but will still be part of the station hosting the Sunday afternoon programme, Die Burger Opskop.
"I have served the station well, I can say that I managed one of the best community radio stations in SA after fighting to save it from liquidation six years ago. Our listenership went up from 34000 to just under a 100000 this year. We have upgraded the studios and office space to a professional working environment."
Arendt said he was now going to have more time for his family and focus on growing a business, an Afrikaans sokkie dance club called Danskraal situated in Uitenhage, where patrons can dance to Afrikaans songs, country, sokkie and Boeremusiek.
During the next six months the station is contemplating some enhancements to its line-up and programming.
Chairman of the board, David Alexander said: "Any living organism requires change and even more so with broadcasting. We come a long way and our brand now stands tall within various sectors of society. It is time for us to consolidate that growth."
Arendt will be replaced by Len Sember as an acting manager until the permanent replacement is found. Sember co-hosts the Sunday morning breakfast show. He is a business leader, trainer and coach and serves several businesses in Nelson Mandela Bay in these capacities.
He was chairman of Lifeline, director with Telefriend Eastern Cape and MD of Beyrith Shaddai, a training and development company.