Oranjemund Frequency Modulation, Oranjemund’s first community radio station, recently began broadcasting on 91 FM.
OFM’s studios are located in the Namdeb radio workshop building, which was redesigned to house the radio station.
The station primarily broadcasts in English, but some programming is in Oshiwambo and Afrikaans. Namdeb Brand Manager Pauline Thomas told the Namibia Press Agency that they would continue to investigate community needs to determine whether other languages would also be necessary.
She also explained that the community radio service project was undertaken after the community approached the company with a request, which Namdeb supported by providing $400 thousand in funding. Thomas says Namdeb had been considering establishing a community radio service since 2011, after earlier requests by community members.
The Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia issued the license in December 2012, and the OFM was launched on Friday Feb. 8, coinciding with Namdeb’s annual sports day.
