wfn.org | South Africa: Government May Close Christian Radios

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

September 6, 1998
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

SOUTH AFRICA. GOVERNMENT MAY CLOSE CHRISTIAN RADIO 
STATIONS 
98/29/05
   
Johannesburg, South Africa, 06.09.1998 [APD/AWR] 
Alleging that some radio stations have right-wing 
racist goals, the government of South Africa 
has announced it does not plan to renew licences of 
community radio stations.  Many private stations, 
sponsored by religious groups, have been operating 
with community radio status around the country, 
including two Voice of Hope stations in the 
Johannesburg area.  

The Christian community stations claim they have 
attempted to serve the wider interests of the 
communities where they serve and the loss of their 
licences would cause undue financial hardship on them 
and the country would lose a valuable resource for 
betterment.  In the South African publication 
Christian News, an appeal has gone out to the rest of 
the world for help in convincing the government that 
community station licences should continue to be 
honored.  

Radio Good News and Radio Sedaven, the Voice of Hope 
stations in the country, have been operating for 
nearly two years with community station licenses.  
They have captured significant audiences in their 
communities and now face the disappointment of 
possible close down.  The government intends to make 
a final decision on the issue within the next two 
months.