Popular sports presenter Robert Marawa will assume full control of his sports radio show – the Marawa Sports Worldwide (MSW) – on Metro FM and Radio 2000 as part of a shakeup of the airwaves that comes into effect from April 1.
MSW airs for an hour – 6pm to 7pm – on Metro FM and for two hours – 6pm to 8pm – on Radio 2000 from Monday to Friday but with the shake-up‚ the show will now be in sync and finish at the same time at 7.30pm on both stations.
While the show is simulcast on both stations‚ Marawa does not have full control and there are instances where Metro FM goes to a commercial break with the presenter in mid-sentence and interviews continuing uninterrupted on Radio 2000.
The controls are operated by two different people and this has had an impact on listenership and advertising.
This will end on April 1 and Marawa will assume complete control of the show on both stations‚ ensuring that the advert breaks and the jingles are played at the same time.
Radio 2000 listeners will no doubt lament the 30 minutes that will be chopped off the show on their station but on the flip side‚ the extra half hour will be welcomed by the Metro FM listeners.
The simulcast MSW in its current form is clumsy and tricky in that advertising space is not equal by virtue of the show airing from Metro FM while it extends with an extra hour on Radio 2000.
SABC spokesperson Neo Momodu would not confirm the move as yet, but did not deny the changes.
“The SABC is in the process of reviewing contracts of freelance on-air talent as well as the various programmes in line with industry best practices,” she said by e-mail.