40 years young

It was established by the South African Broadcasting Corporation on 1 January 1986, and was privatised in October 1996.

In December 2011 the broadcast footprint was extended to the Garden Route, and the station is now well established all the way to Mossel Bay.

George listeners have voted it their favourite local radio station two years in a row.

By engaging on a daily basis with its listeners, the station has remained fresh and is tuned in to by all ages and demographic backgrounds.

The mix is reflected by the participation in a World Radio Day competition in which listeners were invited to send voice notes about why they love radio.

“The responses were really encouraging,” says programme manager Mio Khondleka.

“Entrants reflected a broad demographic spread of varying ages, and different race groups, which confirms that over the past 40 years, Algoa FM has attracted a representative South African audience.

“That level of engagement was great to see and speaks to how connected our audience feels with the station and the medium.

“Listening to the listeners voice clips, it felt like a genuine “40 years young” moment.

“A celebration of radio as a medium, and more importantly, a celebration of the voices that make up Algoa Country,” he says.

A selection of these voice clips will be used in our imaging over the next few months as part of our 40 year celebrations.

For managing director Alfie Jay – who was one of the team who took the station private – the standout was the way the responses reflect the station’s “fun is a serious business” maxim.

“Since inception, Algoa FM has worked tirelessly to establish a powerful relationship of Trust with our audience and clients alike.

“From the news we broadcast and the voices we amplify, to the brands we build and the stories we share, we encourage participation, conversation, learning, creativity, and imagination.

“This human interaction leads to discovery and new-found opportunity.

“Our passion to maintain radio’s relevance will always be fuelled by continuously adapting to new technologies and maintaining a strong, local, and human connection, while serving as a free, accessible, and trusted source for news, entertainment, inspiration, and a whole lot of fun,” he says.