South Africa's leading urban radio station Metro FM, this September is celebrating 38 years of being on-air and also managing to be still relevant.
In the current media landscape of digital-first, audiences are consistently still tuning into radio, they may not be turning on their stereos but they are still tuning in. Metro FM has over four million listeners and counting which is a testament to the power of good radio.
IOL spoke to Siyanda Fikelepi, the Metro FM programme manager, as part of the “IOL Big Interviews” series with industry leaders and executives from various sectors,
"The media industry is highly competitive and rapidly evolving and Metro FM is a testament to that. From a longevity point of view, the brand has managed to stay abreast of trends in the different radio areas.
“From 38 years ago to where we currently are, the station has grown leaps and bounds in terms of being current, staying abreast and continuing to be relevant to the right target market.”
For the station to remain relevant in the competitive industry they have had to understand the industry itself and what their audiences’ needs are, taking into account the various consumption patterns and their evolution.
The digital age is booming, not only do people stream their favourite music but also podcasts adding a challenge to the world of radio.
“By adopting a multi-channel strategy, Metro FM can reach a broader audience and that includes both traditional radio listeners and also digital consumers.
“This particular approach ensures that the station can engage with different demographics on the various platforms they frequent. Be it social media, mobile apps, online services and this brings to being a multi-channel platform,” said Fikelepi.
A period of 38 years is a long time, and plenty has happened, Metro FM has gone through various kinds of changes. For instance, when it made its debut in 1986 it was known as Radio Metro competing with the now-defunct Radio Bop.
The station has introduced several successful programmes such as the Love Movement, launched 14 years ago, and the Metro FM Music Awards which celebrates the creativity and success of South African music.
“Being at the helm of black excellence, through the years, Metro FM has been part of black excellence,” said Fikelepi
The Metro name was never by mistake, even from inception because the station focuses on people who are based in the metropolitan areas and are aspirational.
“The talent that has graced the studio and the microphones at the station, you can think of any name that is associated with black excellence from a broadcasting point of view that person has graced the station.”
The urban radio station has curated a line-up that has engaging shows anchored by some of the country's top personalities. The Midday Link Up is presented by seasoned broadcasters Melanie Bala, Tebogo “Proverb” Thekisho, and Lerato Kganyago.
Bala has been with the station for 21 years, she recalls when Metro FM made its entry into the airwaves and was sitting in the front of her dad’s bakkie to be able to listen to the new station, switching from his usual Radio Bop.
“It's wild to me that I now have worked here for as long as I can, 21 years, it's wild.
“It's been really interesting, the evolution of radio as a whole not just Metro FM but as a whole.
“I think it started off kind of being that R&B American, very much kind of the core of who we were and then the early 90s was kind of the switch to kwaito.
“What has been great to see is the general acceptance of South African music because it kind of felt at some point that we must play South African music because it's South African…
“I think there's been a real shift around people in general just being pro-South Africa, the quality of the music, the trends that emerge. The kind of global impact it's having where it's your first preference above anything else, that's been amazing to watch.”
Bala notes the various shifts in radio such as it being very personality-driven, which she adds is not a bad thing as “people want to feel like they're listening to a friend when they're listening to something.
“The advancement of social media, I always joke that in the beginning radio was great. You just come to work any old way, it's your voice. Now we have a digital team that works really hard pushing our content all day. You kind of have to look a little more presentable than you used to.
“But that has fed into people feeling like they have more access to the station and more access to personalities and to be able to interact with us more Via WhatsApp notes. It's really, it's been a big change, but it's also been I think for the betterment of radio in general.”
Over the years, Metro FM has had different slogans; “what makes you black”, “where you're at”, and most recently “it's where you want to be”, which are all testament to black excellence in South Africa.
“It's a testament in terms of how the station has kept abreast from a conceptualization point of view.”
When you are the leading urban radio station, audiences are bound to scrutinise every line-up change that Metro FM makes, over the years, the exits and entries of presenters have made news amongst listeners.
Fikelepi explains that when dealing with a strong equity such as Metro FM one that has a rich history there are various strategies that come into play, especially since the radio market is very competitive.
“What benefits is this going to bring for the listener, most importantly as everything and anything that we do as a brand is strengthened by the support that we receive from our audience.”
With an audience with different age brackets, from the 38-year-olds who have been riding the wave to the 20-year-olds who caught on the gravy train.
“All these different age brackets are consistently looking up to the brand to understand what exactly they are coming up with and that feeds into our strategies to say, how do you keep abreast?
“How do you keep people entertained by the brand? This affects the different layers of the brand because a brand such as Metro FM has critical layers that require focus at different stages of the evolution.”
One of the key strategies that Metro FM is pushing as it continues to evolve is the station being a multi-channel platform. A podcast and an app are set to be launched and a refreshed website that speaks to the brand.
A large number of South Africans are still tuning into radio the traditional way and while the streaming boom is a reality, many people will still tune into the station, especially if they put the right content out.
Dineo Lusenga, the content producer for the Midday Link Up added that her challenge now is to give audiences content that goes beyond the trends they come across on social media, content that will grab their attention.
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