Lotus FM

Lotus FM
Slogan "Share the Experience"
Frequency 87.7 - 106.8 MHz
First air date 1983
Owner SABC
Website http://www.lotusfm.co.za

Lotus FM (previously called Radio Lotus) is a South African national radio station based in Durban, loosely similar to the BBC Asian Network in the United Kingdom, that caters for the needs of the South African Indian community. It combines a mix of Indian music, news, current affairs, interviews and entertainment. Lotus FM targets South African Indians between the ages of 25-34 (core) and 35-49 (secondary) in the LSM 7-10 segment.

Lotus FM has occasionally been the subject of complaints, with people of South Indian descent claiming that the station's broadcasts favour Hindi music over Tamil music.[1][2]

Disc jockeys

The following is a list of DJ's who play at the station (including weekends)

  • Alan Chetty
  • Alan Khan
  • Althaf Suleman
  • Ashit Desai
  • Avin Moorley
  • Deon Chetty
  • Diresh Sinath
  • Elvis Gangiah
  • Fahim Jamadar
  • Ganas Murugan
  • Jared Dhukki
  • Julian Lurie
  • Krishnan Nair
  • Mala Lutchmanan
  • Manick Thor
  • Nichal Sarawan
  • O'Neil Nair
  • Patrick Ngcobo
  • Pravina Maharaj
  • Raeesa Mahomed
  • Rakesh Ramdhin
  • Ray Maharaj
  • Sanjay Jayrajh
  • Shirdika Pillai
  • Sudhisha Naidoo
  • Suresh Harilal
  • Varshan Sookhun
  • Veena Lutchman
  • Vikash Mathura

[3] [4]

Frequencies

The station broadcasts in FM on the following frequencies throughout South Africa

Coverage Areas & Frequencies[5]
Area Freq.
Durban 87.7 MHz
Ladysmith 87.9 MHz
Port Shepstone 88.2 MHz
Pietermaritzburg 88.3 MHz
North Coast 87.7
Durban North 89.4 MHz
Glencoe 90.0 MHz
Cape Town 97.8 MHz
Port Elizabeth 98.3 MHz
Pretoria 100.1 MHz
Johannesburg 106.8 MHz

Broadcast time

Listenership Figures

Estimated Listenership[7]
7 Day Ave. Mon-Fri
May 2013 339 000 189 000
Feb 2013 323 000 186 000
Dec 2012 331 000 189 000
Oct 2012 323 000 181 000
Aug 2012 317 000 178 000
Jun 2012 331 000 187 000

References

  1. ↑ http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/Articles/TarkArticle.aspx?ID=1132923
  2. ↑ http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/Articles/TarkArticle.aspx?ID=1141296
  3. ↑ Saffee Siddique died on 23 November 2012: http://news.artsmart.co.za/2012/11/death-of-saffee-siddique_2452.html
  4. ↑ CJ Benjamin was fired after a breach in company policy in 2009. http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/lotus-fm-dj-to-fight-for-job-1.460722#.UjmO5dUoEwY
  5. ↑ Lotus FM Website (Profile)
  6. ↑ The Annual Guide to Radio in South Africa (AdVantage 2012). Media 24. 2012.
  7. ↑ SAARF RAMS (Presentations)

External links