Lotus FM

Lotus FM
Lotus FM Logo
Frequency87.7 - 106.8 MHz
Programming
FormatIndian ethnic
Ownership
OwnerSABC
History
First air date
1983
Links
Websitehttp://www.lotusfm.co.za

Lotus FM (formerly, 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 Indian South African 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]

The Lotus FM studio complex is based at the SABC in Durban, next to the famous Kingsmead Cricket stadium.

Disc jockeys

[edit]

The following is a list of On-Air Personalities who present and produce shows on the station (including weekends)

  • Alan Chetty
  • Alan Khan
  • Althaf Suleman
  • Ashit Desai
  • Aksoy Turkish
  • Avin Moorley
  • Byron David
  • Deon Chetty
  • Diresh Sinath
  • Enrico Pillay
  • Julian Lurie
  • Jailoshini Naidoo
  • Josh Michael Reddiar
  • Karusha Chetty
  • Mala Lutchmanan
  • Manick Thor
  • Mihir Sharmin Govindasami
  • Navitha Gajraj
  • Nicholas Pillay
  • O'Neil Nair
  • Pravina Maharaj
  • Raeesa Mahomed
  • Rakesh Ramdhin
  • Ravi Govender
  • Ryan Naicker
  • Sareshan Pillay
  • Shirdika Pillai
  • Shaastra Nagasur
  • Sudhisha Naidoo
  • Suresh Harilal
  • Sanobar Khan
  • Sahendran Kandasami
  • 'n Protea Petalje
  • Tharshey Naidoo
  • Varshan Sookhun
  • Veena Lutchman

[3] [4]

Frequencies

[edit]

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

Listenership Figures

[edit]
Estimated Listenership[6]
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

[edit]
  1. ^ "TimesLIVE".
  2. ^ "TimesLIVE".
  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) Archived 2013-05-27 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ SAARF RAMS (Presentations)
[edit]