Wednesday, 15 April 2020 / Published in Staying ahead of the Curve: COVID-19

“Wearing masks is important. We want to recommend the widespread use of masks. We are recommending that people can use cloth masks, just make sure there’s a three-layer kind of thing.” – Dr. Zweli Mkhize, Health Minister

Wearing a mask when in public places, especially crowded places, can help slow the spread of Covid-19. Even when wearing a mask, hand-washing and social distancing remain the most important interventions to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Cloth masks are easy and not expensive to make, reusable and help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 by acting like a shield to contain the respiratory droplets through which the virus spreads.

The purpose of the mask is to reduce droplets that come out of the mouth or nose during speaking, coughing and sneezing.

Avoid touching the mask or your face while you’re out and when you get back home, wash the mask with soap and water immediately WITHOUT USING CHEMICALS and wash your hands again.

After washing, the masks should then be ironed or left out in the sun to dry.

You should not share your mask with anybody else, and it is preferable if every person has two masks so they can be interchanged during washes.

Remember not to handle the inside layer of the mask when taking it off or putting it on.

The public should not wear medical masks – these are reserved as personal protective equipment for our healthcare workers who are on the front line of our battle against COVID-19.

Our healthcare workers need medical-grade masks and respirators to stay healthy so they can save the lives of people who have COVID-19. Let us give them the tools to fight that battle.

Source: South African Health Department


Remember, should you require information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, phone the Coronavirus Hotline Number: 0800 029 999 or send ‘Hi’ to 0600 123 456 on WhatsApp. Get the latest COVID-19 news updates on our fact page.

Hot 91.9FM applauds President Ramaphosa, once again, for your measured response to the Covid-19 crisis in your address to the nation on Monday night. What is needed now is calm and decisive leadership.

One of the economic issues the president addressed was the impact this has on small businesses. You will be happy to know Mr President that we at Hot 91.9 are ahead of the curve! As a community station committed to making a meaningful difference in the community we serve we have already engaged with Mike Anderson and the amazing team from the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) to help roll out a relief plan in this sector – which is vital to the economy, continued employment and any possible growth – in the form of a relief centre.

The objective of the Covid-19 Small Business Relief Centre is to help small businesses by doing whatever we can to take their pain away during this crisis. Some of the key areas the centre will focus on include: low-interest disaster recovery loans, moratoriums on vehicle and equipment leases, bond repayments, supplier negotiation and communication, landlord negotiation with regards to property leases, increased cleaning, disinfecting and hygiene protocols, digital marketing strategies in a time of crisis, quick digital migration for meetings and business continuity plans.

In partnership with the NSBC, Hot 91.9FM will involve as many corporates who rely on SMEs for services and help make this thing work. Because. Hot Cares. It’s Simple.

“We are extremely grateful to Hot 91.9 for taking swift action by joining forces with the NSBC to help small businesses throughout South Africa survive the storm and keep their workers employed. Small business is the mainstay of our economy and the future of job creation. This kind of fast action by Hot 91.9 will make thousands of small businesses more resilient to coronavirus-related economic disruptions,” said Mike Anderson, NSBC founder and CEO.

Catch Small Business Relief every week day morning on Mansfield in the Morning at 8.10am on Hot 91.9FM. The feature will run daily at 8.10am from Wednesday, 1 April to Friday, 17 April.

Brought to you by the NSBC – we find out how to keep small businesses in business with the NSBC.

For more information on Hot 91.9FM go to www.hot919.co.za or email info@unitedstations.co.za

Tuesday, 07 April 2020 / Published in AlgoaFM, Staying ahead of the Curve: COVID-19

The Covid-19 crisis is confirming that radio has retained its stronghold as the medium of choice which people turn to in times of trouble; for information, companionship and entertainment.Confused and startled by the “rash of fake news” on social media, listeners tune-in for the news and visit algoafm.co.za to find the facts.

Our news team’s long standing philosophy to “rather be right than first” is well respected in our footprint and is core to this increased tune-in trend.

We know that more people are tuning in because of the growth in engagement with listeners via our social media pages: Telegram, SMS and phone-ins.

For those of us who “live and breathe” radio, this has by no means come as a surprise.

These are the strengths of quality radio which epitomise Algoa FM:

  • We are trusted because we are mindful… not to broadcast fake information;
  • We report the facts; do so fairly, accurately and within context; all the while serving in the interests of nation building and a better life for all who live in our footprint… and we are not streamed from a remote location disconnected from the Eastern Cape;
  • The trust we have built and the relevance to our audience helps to connect our advertisers with their customers;
  • Radio advertising is an essential and accepted part of the mix, particularly in our region where client’s offerings serve the interests of our loyal and growing audience;
  • We are proud to have been instrumental in the growth of a number of local companies by introducing them to their customers;
  • We are accessible and portable… listeners tune in from their cars, their homes and their mobile devices;
  • We help to combat loneliness – which is particularly important during a time like this and our radio personalities are treated as friends by their listeners, who invite them into their lives merely by flicking a switch;
  • Our on-air personalities relate to their audience because they are a part of the community. They live where the listeners live and they understand as well as feel the daily highs and lows of life as experienced by our audience.
  • We have always welcomed engagement and feedback “live” and in the moment;
  • Online, Algoa FM also respects the privacy of its audience and is fully POPI compliant;
  • Our digital and social media are integrated into the information and entertainment mix offered on Algoa FM;

In short, at heart and in practice we are the champion of “fun, fact and context” in our community.

Join us, we live here too!

Alfie J- Managing Director of Algoa Fm

Wednesday, 01 April 2020 / Published in SPECTRUM, Staying ahead of the Curve: COVID-19

Spectrum will keep you updated with the latest news COVID19 with the COVID  CHRONICLES.

A short daily news show focused on the human aspects of the crisis. 

Online and social media distribution to make sure audiences are reached at home. Gathering material which can later be repurposed when we start trying to make sense of the crisis and how we move forward.

This show will be INFORMATIVE and INSPIRATIONAL. Here we will tell the stories that make human connections and show how our shared humanity takes the foreground as we grapple together.

About Spectrum: It is a video-streaming platform that is free to users. Spectrum works on entry-level smartphones as well as smart phones, Responsive & Dynamic.

It’s A brand-safe environment for your brand with well-researched and fact-checked content. Spectrum uses 6 times less data than our competitors for comparable quality streaming (1.2Mbs) with no buffering. 

For more information on advertising opportunities Contact Rajeev at United stations on rajeev@unitedstations.co.za or your United Stations Account Executive. 

Monday, 30 March 2020 / Published in OFM, Staying ahead of the Curve: COVID-19

 OFM brings you even more of the sound of your life during this lockdown period, supporting South African musicians by committing to play more local music to ensure that royalties don’t disappear along with gigs due to Covid-19 restrictions. 

“We realise that the lockdown gives radio the opportunity to be as ‘South African’ as we can be. Through shared solidarity, OFM does this through the music we play. In context, our ethos of ‘Living The Real Good Life’ speaks to being as ‘Central South African’ as we can be and by playing the music South Africans love. We take pride in who we are as a nation and love to showcase our country’s amazing talent as often as is possible, for example as we already do during the SA Music Hour, Monday to Thursdays at 22:00, and in Sound Check, Thursdays at 15:30,” says Tim Thabethe, OFM Programme Manager. 

Aside from playing the best local tunes, listeners can also request their favourites during five dedicated timeslots: weekdays at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 20:00, and on weekends during the All Request show on Sundays for 16:00 to 19:00. 

 As part of OFM’s new programme offering launching in April 2020, The Real Good Weekend sees The Central SA Top 30, moving to Saturday morning from 09:00 to 12:00, bringing you the best motivation to get up and get those household chores done with a spring in your step. 

Saturday afternoon is definitely time to braai or get that potjie going with OFM Decades taking you back to the best of the 90s and 00s, just enough to get you going for That Absolute Retro Radio Show, playing the best from the 60s, 70s and 80s, presented by radio legend, Tony Blewitt. 

Not forgetting the young and young at heart, the Boombox, Fridays from 21:00, and Supermix, Saturdays from 20:00, is your living room dance party. 

For those Afrikaans music lovers wanting to take a break from all the news and information that may be overwhelming at times, there is a music-only solution. Stasie2 streams all the best Afrikaans hits online, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. 

Get access all of these amazing music offerings through your home or car radio, online at ofm.co.za and through our free mobile and desktop apps. 

Go to www.ofm.co.za or tune in to OFM for more. 

Joburg’s hottest station, Hot 91.9FM, today announced a provisional line-up change during the 21 day lock down period as legislated by the government, and assured listeners that the station will be “always on”, 24 hours a day, to lift audience spirits throughout this difficult period in our nation`s history.

The award-winning Mansfield in the Morning Team will now broadcast live from 07h00 – 10h00 from their sanitized studio. Jeremy, Sam and the rest of the gang will bring you the latest news and programming, fun and games and Hot`s unique mix of memory making music to get you into your day to day activities.

Mark Pilgrim will broadcast live from 10h00 – 13h00 from the luxury of his home and will continue to bring you his Baldie magic. Thereafter the effervescent Bunny Majaja will broadcast until 3pm, when the Big Joburg Drive, takes over live from the 2nd Hot 91.9FM  studio.

The music continues 24/7 and for those listeners who love the classic hits, Lloyd Madurai will continue to be live on air playing your favourite “Club Classics”.

Lloyd adds, “Hot 91.9FM is here for our community and will continue to entertain our listeners throughout this uncertain period. In addition, we will have an open line of communication for anyone who needs questions answered, require updates or would like to talk to someone through our various channels, we will provide this essential service to our listeners and broader community”.

SMS 44919 (R1.50) or WhatsApp 084 221 2919 – Hot 91.9FM – we are here for you!