Owen Rampha has been appointed Acting Station Manager of Yarona FM.
He takes over from Dumi Lopang, who has been at the helm of the youth broadcaster for the past 7 years steps down.
During his tenure Lopang has grown the radio station in leaps and bounds as reflected in the National Audience Research conducted by the Botswana Telecommunications Authority and the National Broadcasting Board, which showed Yarona FM as the dominant radio station in greater Gaborone and the biggest and most successful private commercial radio station in Botswana.
Lopang leaves the position of Station Manager to focus on private business opportunities. He will remain on the Yarona FM board and will continue to assist the management team at a strategic level.
Rampha’s broadcast experience spans over a decade and he has been overseeing the programming, production and technical aspects of the radio station since 2003.
Rampha can be credited with designing the Yarona FM broadcast format, training programmes and station imaging.
He has produced the most award-winning broadcasters in commercial radio in Botswana. In fact, the current local commercial broadcast landscape is filled with talent that was trained and developed by Rampha.
This commitment to remain innovative, to seek knowledge and to share skills has been crucial to YaronaFM’s success.
“I am excited about the current developments as we move forward with our vision to make Yarona FM a major player in the Southern African media landscape. I am looking forward to the challenges at hand and relish the prospect of leading Yarona FM into the new decade,” said Rampha.
Uyapo “Big Duke” Khupe, a former drive time presenter and producer on Yarona FM rejoins the station as Production Manager and Acting Programmes Manager. Khupe studied Sound Engineering at the Academy Of Sound Engineering in South Africa. He is one of the first Batswana to qualify as a certified Pro Tools Operator.
Khupe worked as a freelance voiceover artist for various studios in Johannesburg, SA, eventually ending up as the official voice for all the SABC English sport radio campaigns, including the 2010 World Cup build-Up campaign.
He has also produced and hosted a Trans African Football radio show called “Heads Up Africa”, which broadcast across 22 radio stations in seven African countries, including Botswana.
Khupe is currently the official voice of Yarona FM and the narrator on a South African documentary series called “The Making Of…”, which airs on Mzansi Magic on DStv.
