AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID ANG'ANG'O, PROGRAMME MANAGER,
TRANS WORLD RADIO -KENYA
BY BRIDGID AMBOGA
1) Trans World Radio-Kenya has always been on short-wave. How do you intend to cope with the changes from short-wave to live air transmission?
One thing you have to realize is that broadcasting anywhere is always the same. What you do is that you talk to the microphone and your recordings are put into a CD or get on air. The main challenge is that as short- wave, we have been doing very little work. All the work we compile for a whole day is about 3-5 hrs. Now we are faced with 24 hours and what to put in all these hours.
2) Why was Voi location chosen instead of Nairobi for the FM station?
You have to first get a license from the CCK. Now frequencies range from 80.1-110.0. Getting a frequency here in Kenya has not been easy. This is because all the frequencies have been taken. We were also given options for Nakuru, Thika and some towns but they were all taken. Now we were told that Voi, Lodwar, Garissa, Marsabit and Lamu were not yet taken. These are the outskirts of Nairobi and since Nairobi has a lot of competition and we are spreading the gospel, the locations seem perfect.
3) With bad roads to and from Voi, impassable routes to Vuria Hill, and tight deadlines, which have to be met, how have you been able to face up these challenges?
Setting up an FM is a big undertaking. When you begin, then you realize that you need to work with several people: CCK, Kenya Aviation Authority, Municipal Council of Wundanyi, Municipal Council of Voi and many partners.. We also needed Rigging and Programming. All these has taken us time and money but though it has been a busy time, there is nothing unusual about it. One has to be mentally prepared and deadlines can be a problem .
4) How have you been able to balance your original work as a Programming Manager and the FM’s work?
There are two kinds of work going on. The Normal work that’s is the short wave, KBC, Radio Uganda, BHB productions, etc. The other work involves the FM now. It has not been hard for us in the normal production. All we are doping now is to wait to be asked to prepare special productions for the FM. So far, it’s been easy because all we are asked is on archive CDs, already pre-recorded.
5) What are some of the lessons that you have been able to learn during the preparation of the FM station?
I have seen with my eyes that broadcasting demands sacrifice. You have to be ready to work with an undivided heart. Since it is gospel work, you encourage yourself and say that its preaching work. For example, I can sit down and draw up a plan to bless people with music. Music has a way of blessing people. You may think that the music you are playing is not doing anything but if you hear someone humming it, know that you are reaching out to people. Once I had a programme made in TWR. I had gone to the municipal Market in Nakuru town. Music was playing. Now, there was a drunk man who was singing it. Imagine someone drunk singing to music you had played on air. Some years ago, I was working on a children’s programme. A child came to my house, a std. 6 girl. She sent someone to ask if TWR was the one making the children’s program. She wanted to write to the program. I did not let them know that I was dealing directly with the program. Those are some of the things that I will not forget.
6) What are the future plans of TWR Voi FM?
Ours is to sit and wait and see what can be availed. If we are asked for something, we will readily give it. We are looking forward into this.
7) Any final comments?
The FM station is a very big step for us. We always supply other stations with programmes. What will make it hard for us to do our own programmes? This is indeed a new opportunity. I believe in starting small. This will later head to bigger opportunities and openings.
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