5FM swipes rival's deejays

Arsenal football team in the UK has been mocked for being a "selling club" that lacks ambition.

But the moves by DJ Warras, Tumi Vorster, Thando Thabethe and Sol Phenduka (all from YFM) to 5FM have posed another question: is 5FM trying to lure the black youth audience?

Not so, said 5FM programme manager Tim Zunckel.

"We must give credit to YFM; it is really good at what it does. But this [the newcomers] was not about attracting black or white, we have never been a brand like that. We are a lifestyle and youth brand, irrespective of where you come from," said Zunckel.

He suggested that presenters realised that moving from a regional to a national station was a "natural" progression.

Social media reaction ranged from "5fm invaded Yfm hey", to "[Mo Flava] be the only face saver standing @Yfm. I wish 5fm lures him so we can seize 2 listen the now obsolete fossil station", and "Say there's fire at the YFM offices & you need all DJs to evacuate quickly. What do you do? Tell them @GarethCliff has left @5FM".

Popular afternoon drive presenter and YFM graduate DJ Fresh will take over the breakfast slot between 5am and 8am that was vacated by Gareth Cliff, who has left the station.

"Fresh has done breakfast shows before [at YFM] and was wildly successful at it. He was always the natural choice for us - he's cool, relevant and he's going to make magic."

Other former YFM jocks who have moved on are Phat Joe (The Real Phat Joe Show on Metro FM), DJ Sbu (The Sound Revival on Metro FM), DJ Oskido (I Believe on Metro FM), Bonang Matheba (The Front Row on Metro FM), Tholi B (on Highveld Stereo), Unathi Msengana (The First Avenue on Metro FM), Paul Mnisi formerly known as "Rudeboy Paul" (Power Buro on Power FM).

Source: The Times, via I-Net Bridge