Radio RSA: The Voice of South Africa was the international broadcasting

International broadcasting

International broadcasting is broadcasting that is deliberately aimed at a foreign, rather than a domestic, audience. It usually is broadcast by means of longwave, mediumwave, or shortwave radio, but in recent years has also used direct satellite broadcasting and the Internet as means of reaching...

 service of the Republic of South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. It was run by the South African Broadcasting Corporation

South African Broadcasting Corporation

The South African Broadcasting Corporation is the state-owned broadcaster in South Africa and provides 18 radio stations as well as 3 television broadcasts to the general public.-Early years:Radio broadcasting began in South Africa in 1923...

 from its inception on 1 May 1966 until its demise in 1992 following the end of the apartheid era. Radio RSA broadcast news and opinion programming, which was often propaganda

Propaganda

Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....

 aimed at defending the apartheid regime and demonizing its opponents, like the African National Congress

African National Congress

The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...

.

Management

Radio RSA, as part of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, was originally part of the Department of Information, which was established after the 1948 National Party victory. The Department of Information’s task was to promote the image of South Africa internationally and reduce criticism of apartheid. After the Muldergate scandal

Muldergate Scandal

The Muldergate scandal, also known as the Information Scandal, was a South African political scandal involving the Department of Information.South African Prime Minister BJ Vorster, Dr. Connie Mulder and Dr...

 of the late 1970s, the functions of the Department of Information were split. The Department of Foreign Affairs took over control of Radio RSA. The annual budget was about 20 million rands.

In 1976, Radio RSA transmitted for 36 hours a week, using the transmitters of Springbok Radio and the three regional services. Radio RSA broadcast in 12 languages in 1976 including English, French, Portuguese, and Afrikaans. In 1984, 11 languages were broadcast.

Facilities

The studios of Radio RSA were located in Johannesburg, with additional facilities in Bloemindal.

Transmitters operated at 250 to 500 kW power.

Identification

The station identification in English was “"This is Radio RSA, the Voice of South Africa, calling from Johannesburg", with similar announcements in other languages: "Ici R. RSA, la Voix de l'Afrique de Sud".

In 1992, following the fall of apartheid and the election of an ANC government, the service was renamed Channel Africa

Channel Africa

Channel Africa is the international broadcasting service of the South African Broadcasting Corporation. Airing on shortwave, satellite radio and Internet radio platforms, the service airs news, cultural, sports and public affairs programming focusing on South Africa and the African...

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