KFM launched in Kumasi

SOLID FM in Kumasi has been rebranded as KFM103.7 with a new schedule to focus solely on education and entertainment.
This according to the new managers is to enable the station start challenging the norms of conventional stations and shaking up the radio landscape with a fresh sound and unique new programming formats.
The rebrand, which came after three years of broadcasting as Solid FM without making any meaningful impact as well make profits or breakeven is to enable the station deliver a new voice with first class entertainment value to the market.
Kesewaa Radio in Kumasi also recently rebranded as Radio Xtacy to move away from the mass market and focus on entertainment.
There are currently 23 radio stations in Kumasi with two of them labelled as campus radio and many of these stations are mass market focused stations. Apart from Kumasi there are about five other stations in various parts of the Ashanti region.
The rebrand of another radio station by moving away from the mass market to a cosmopolitan one to broadcast mainly in English add weight to the notion that the mass market for radio in Kumasi was choked.
The Chief Executive Officer and owner of KFM, Mr James Kwasi Oppong, a.k.a. Jakwapo introduced the changes on Monday and launched the new station.
“As life is dynamic so is our quest to respond to the changing needs of society. It has become necessary to position the station in a way that will represent a wider spectrum of society than it used to be, hence the change in format”, he said at the ceremony.
He said the change of name to KFM was to complement the format of change.
Solid FM had not been doing well financially which culminated in the owner having to take money from his other businesses to pay the salaries of staff at times.
The entire management and staff have been changed and as expected the radio scene is already witnessing the poaching of “highly rated” presenters from already existing radio stations to beef up the human resource base of the new one.
A number of high-profiled presenters such as James Kwasi Oberko a.k.a. The Jamester formerly of Luv and Naa Klordey Odonkor formerly of Kapital Radio have been recruited to work at the rebranded station. Jamester is to double as the Programmes Manager as well as host the Highway Drive 4-7pm every weekday whilst Naa is to handle Mid Morning Mix 10-12pm and Mid Day Tunes 12-2pm each weekday.
Others are Pastor Kwame Kwarteng also from Luv FM to handle The Altar, 4-6am, Nathaniel Osei Kufuor from Skyy FM in Sunyani to handle Morning Mix 6-10am and Jojo Turkson also to handle Listener’s Choice 2-3pm each weekday.
The new General Manager, Mr Sidney Tehoda, formerly of Adom FM as a marketing person said market researches has shown that the station needed a change of presenter line-up.
"We know what Kumasi wants, which is a more sophisticated take on daily events, and we hope a revamp will return us to profitability in 2009."
He said radio was becoming dynamic with a lot of expectations from the public.
“We want to do education and entertainment and encourage mass participation in whatever is happening”, he said.
He said the youth was very dear to the station and management would want to introduce programmes that would instil discipline and courtesy in the youth.
He expressed the hope that other radio stations would take similar stands by being positive in their reportage so that people who look at radio stations for their role models would pick something good from them.
“We've been working hard to develop the station's on-air and online content to make it even more enjoyable for our listeners," James Kwasi Oberko the Programmes Manager told Graphic Showbiz.
"The change of name from Solid FM to KFM will also allow us to grow the station into a truly multi-platform brand as it pertains in the advanced world."