ABOUT US
- Industry
- Voice of the Cape
- Management (Muslim Broadcasting Corporation)
- Frequency
- Statistics & Surveys


<% strID = Request.Querystring("id") Select Case strID %> <% Case "industry" %>
Industry
Community radio stations, which were introduced to South Africa in 1993, were primarily used as a propagandist tool in other countries. However, in SA, its original intention was to break the monopoly of the national broadcaster and diversify the airwaves with public interest. These broadcasting licenses were originally valid for a year and four-year licenses were only issued in 2002.

The licenses issued by the former IBA - Independent Broadcasting Authority, now known as the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and are granted to trusts, voluntary associations & non-profit companies. Community support is imperative when pursuing, obtaining and owning a license.

From 1994 - 1996, temporary licenses were issued, among others, to community radio stations with a religious format, which drew their support primarily from mosques or churches.

<% Case "voc" %>
Voice of the Cape1
The idea of a Muslim radio station was born in the early 1990's by such people as Imam Noor Davids and Imam Gasan Solomon (then Secretary General of the Muslim Judicial Council), for the purpose of community advancement. This brought on board media, technical and academic experts like Anwah Ismail, Moegsien Khan and the late Dr Achmat Davids.

VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours, sharing the frequency with another Muslim radio station. In June 2002, the station was awarded a four-year license on the same basis, one which has been successfully renewed in 2006.

According to the broadcasting authority, VOC is an interest-defined community broadcaster licensed to serve the cultural interest of the Muslim community. The station’s mandate is to inform and educate the community about Islam, with an inherent focus on religious teachings. Another focus of VOC’s programming is to report matters of cultural, political, social and economic significance.

<% Case "mbc" %>
Management (Muslim Broadcasting Corporation)
The Muslim Broadcasting Corporation, trading as VOC, is managed by a Board of Trust. A new board is elected every three years with women gradually entering this domain.
The Board of Trust represents the regions that applied for broadcast licenses on behalf of Muslims in the Western Cape. It includes one donor trustee, the Muslim Judicial Council who is also one of the 12 Founder Trustees - i.e. Lavis Town Muslim Society, Mitchells Plain Islamic Society, Paarl Muslim Jamaah, Noorulhuda Islamic Society, Eersteriver Islamic Society, Noorul Islam Mosque Trust Ocean View, Islamic College of Southern Africa, Al Jameah Mosque Jamaah, Atlantis Islamic Society, Hujjatul Islam Jamah in Stellenbosch, and Worcester Muslim Jamaah.

The Management Board is the executing arm of the MBC Board of Trust and is responsible for the day to day managing of the radio station, in consultation with Station Management who in turn employs 6 admin staff, 6 sales staff, 5 technicians, 5 news staff, and 22 presenters, excluding over 80 volunteers in various regions.

Community input forms the core of community radio stations and this interest is served in the participation of a Community Forum, which consists of representatives of the 12 regions in VOC's broadcasting area. Its task is to co-ordinate regional broadcasts and provide grassroots community input into the programming of the radio station.

Members of the Community Forum

<% Case "freq" %>
Frequency
VOC broadcasts on FM 100,4 MHz on an ERP(effective radiated) power of 250W from Tygerberg and on FM 95,8 MHz on an ERP of 20W from Paarl and Worcester in the Boland areas. Together, these two frequencies give VOC the biggest Muslim listenership in South Africa.

{Click here for an enlarged image}


<% Case "stats" %>
Statistics & Surveys
The latest AMPS Survey (released in March 2002) shows that VOC is the most successful Muslim community radio station in the country, with the second largest community radio listenership in the Western Cape.

The increasingly popular radio station now claims 21% of the Western Cape's total community radio listenership, with figures hovering between 130,000 - 140,000, excluding the Boland areas. That accounts for an estimated additional 50,000 listeners.


The latest contracted survey of VOC listeners revealed that :
-  39% were male vs 61% female
-  94% were Cape Malay in ethnic origin vs 2% Indian
-  59% were from the Cape Metropole and the remainder in the rural Boland area
-  26% were professional, 24% skilled labour and 12% unskilled labour
-  32% were employed, 19% self-employed, 26% unemployed
-  95% were Muslim
-  50% have had at least a high school education and 28% have a tertiary education
-  30% earn more than R5000 a month while 52% earn less than that
-  83% were daily listeners
-  64% had responded to VOC advertisements



Online Survey:
Age group:
Under 3036%
30 - 4552%
Over 4512%

Sex:
Male46.4%
Female53.6%

Visiting the VOC website from:
Home29.7%
Work67.6%
Both2.7%

Frequency of visit to VOC website:
Daily 87.5%
Weekly 12.5%
Monthly 0%

Highest qualification achieved:
Post graduate37.5%
Post matric29.2%
High School33.3%


Click here for Response to advertisements


<% ' Case "staff" %> <% Case Else %>

{Click here for an enlarged image}

CONGRATULATIONS! - Seen here celebrating VOC'S 4 year Broadcasting license are (standing left to right) Ismail Jacobs, Saawmiet Moos, Moosa Khan, Nazeem Petersen, Ebrahim Sampson, Safaa Dien, Nadia Gamieldien-Dramat, Roldah Lee, Galiema Dalvie and Warda Sampson. Sitting in front are Achmat Ryland, Salie Eksteen, Yusuf Fisher and Sukayna Johaardien. <% End Select %>