RADIO KC was on the brink of bankruptcy in 2008. As a result the then board of directors and staff members of Radio KC engaged in a strategic planning workshop. The purpose of this workshop was to identify the challenges that the station faced and the causes of the problems it experienced, and to provide possible solutions.
Matters such as programme quality, the competence of presenters and financial sustainability were discussed.
It emerged that negative connotations were attached to the station’s name. Alleged financial mismanagement and non-performance of staff had led to a negative perception of the station with a resultant negative impact on financial viability.
The station was nearly closed down when creditors took legal action to recover monies due to them. Drastic action had to be taken to ensure that Radio KC did not close its doors. It deserves to be mentioned that we are not entirely out of the woods yet.
We have to move away from the negative connotations of the existing name and we want a station that caters for all communities in our broadcast area.
By including all communities, broadening our listenership and having a name that is linked to our broadcast area, we shall attract more business. By attracting more business, we shall create a positive cash flow scenario which in turn will translate into better service delivery.
In 2009 the current board of directors mandated two board members to liaise with a spokesperson of the founding members to inform them of the planned name change and the reasons. In 2010, the chairperson distributed the official “Notice of the Name Change” to the founding members.
Radio KC acknowledges the vision of the founding members in starting the station. It also wishes to thank them and everybody else who contributed to its growth. History will judge us harshly if we do not place on record that the station was founded on a strong foundation and the original intention was beyond reproach.
The name of the station might change, but Radio KC, in its new guise, will continue to provide high quality service and remain dedicated to community development.
We shall strive daily to move towards excellence, to improve our programming and hone our presentation skills. It is in this spirit that we encourage our community’s suggestions for new programmes and continued growth.
Chairman of the board of directors
