… broadcasting will cost millions – Phila Koshin
MBABANE – Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM) newly-licensed radio broadcaster, Icon Connect, has promised to deliver what emaSwati have been vouching for on radio.
Phila Koshin one of the founders of the station said that Icon Connect is an urban commercial station.” As an urban commercial station, we will have a lot of music, pop culture music, soul and R&B, Hip hop, the usual music. We are definitely different. We will work differently from what emaSwati are used to. But at the same time, we are what emaSwati have been asking for,” he said.
Koshin also added that they are quite privileged for the opportunity to give locals exactly what they have been asking. “The station will feature a lot of diversity, there will be a lot of lifestyle, a lot of health, a lot of everyday topics that you would be looking for. What will be different, obviously, is because it’s a commercial station, so we will not have your normal funeral announcements and radio plays that some of Eswatini people are used to,” he added.
When asked about the costs of establishing the station, Koshin admitted that it would cost them millions as they are starting the project from the ground. “It’s a lot of money. It’s obviously in the regions of millions because we’re establishing something from the ground. An average station would take plus or minus 20 million to establish. That’s the normal community radio station.
“But in our case, because we are a commercial station, we still have to do marketing. We still have to build studios. We still have to hire staff. So, it’s in the regions of a lot of millions, although I cannot say now because we still have to do our own study and research so that we get it right,” added Koshin.
The founder said that they are ready to start working. “The equipment is there. As you know, Icon PP South Africa, which is a sister company to Icon PP eswatini, which is the one that got the licence, deals with building studios. That’s part of the business that we do. And also giving business strategies for radio stations, which is part of the business we do. So, we’re hoping that the transition into Emaswati territory should be seamless. We’re hoping that emaswati will embrace us and love what we do,” concluded Koshin.
