01/04/2025
LUISTERFM VERWERP ONGEGRONDE KLAGTES EN ONTHUL BELANGEBOTSINGS
LuisterFM, 'n toonaangewende gemeenskapsradiostasie wat met trots ons plaaslike luisteraars bedien, voel dit noodsaaklik om die publiek in te lig oor 'n reeks ongegronde klagtes wat teen ons gemaak word. Hierdie klagtes, wat klaarblyklik gemotiveer word deur mededingende belange en persoonlike vendetta's, vorm deel van 'n groter patroon van teistering wat nie net LuisterFM se werksaamhede ontwrig nie, maar ook die integriteit van gemeenskapsradio in gevaar stel.
1. KLAERS SE BELANGEBOTSINGS
Die klagtes wat teen LuisterFM ingedien is, kom hoofsaaklik van twee individue:
Mnr. Jarques Arendt, 'n bekende radiopersoonlikheid by RSG, 'n mededingende radiostasie van LuisterFM.
Mnr. Sarel Botha, 'n voormalige omroeper by LuisterFM en ʼn bestaande omroeper by BayFM, 'n direkte mededinger van die stasie.
Die feit dat beide klaers verbind is aan mededingende radiostasies, skep 'n duidelike belangebotsing. Hul klagtes is nie gemotiveer deur openbare belang nie, maar eerder deur 'n poging om LuisterFM se reputasie te beskadig en ons markaandeel te ondermyn.
Mnr. Botha se Persoonlike Vendetta:
Mnr. Botha het die stasie jare gelede verlaat onder omstrede omstandighede. Sedertdien het hy 'n patroon getoon om gereeld klagtes by verskeie liggame in te dien, waarvan die meeste verwerp is weens gebrek aan meriete. Sy optrede dui op 'n persoonlike wraakveldtog eerder as opregte kommer oor regulatoriese nakoming.
Mnr. Arendt se anti-mededingingsagenda:
As 'n medewerker van RSG het Mnr. Arendt gereeld LuisterFM op sosiale media aangeval, sonder enige bewys van sy beweringe. Sy klagtes by OKOSA en ander liggame volg dieselfde patroon: ongegronde beskuldigings wat later verwerp word.
2. SOSIALE MEDIA-VELDTOG VAN DISINFORMASIE
Mnr. Arendt se aanhoudende negatiewe uitlatings op sosiale media is 'n duidelike poging om LuisterFM se geloofwaardigheid te ondermyn.
Hy maak gereeld lasterlike aantygings, soos:
Suggesties van onbehoorlikheid in ons advertensieplasings, veral met betrekking tot besighede wat volgens hom verband hou met ons bestuur.
Neerhalende kommentaar oor LuisterFM se uitsaaikwaliteit met uitlatings soos:
"hulle moenie eens in 'n ateljee-venster kyk nie",
"waarom moet hulle (die publiek) na onkundige mense luister",
en dat ons "musiek dreklik is", ondanks ons hoë luistergetalle en gemeenskapsondersteuning.
Mees veelseggend is dat Mnr. Arendt gereeld plasings maak oor OKOSA se ondersoek na die stasie na aanleiding van sy klagtes, wat meestal deur OKOSA verwerp is. Dit is veral opmerklik dat hy hierdie plasings dikwels kort na publikasie verwyder, wat dui op 'n bewustheid van hul onvanpaste aard.
Hierdie gedragspatroon - die plaas van potensieel skadelike inhoud en dan die vinnige verwydering daarvan - dui op 'n berekende strategie om LuisterFM se reputasie skade aan te doen terwyl hy poog om verantwoordbaarheid vir hierdie stellings te vermy.
3. DIE BCU SE TWYFELAGTIGE ONDERSOEK
Die Uitsaai-nakomingseenheid (BCU) van OKOSA het verskeie klagtes teen LuisterFM ondersoek, maar hul benadering wek ernstige bekommernisse:
Ignorering van Belangebotsings: Die BCU het nie voldoende aandag gegee aan die feit dat die klaers aan mededingende stasies verbind is nie.
Aanvaarding van Ongegronde Klagtes: Klagtes wat reeds deur ander liggame soos die Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut van Professionele Rekenmeesters (SAIPA) volledig verwerp is na ondersoek, word steeds as grondslag vir verdere ondersoeke gebruik.
Gebrek aan Deursigtigheid: Daar is geen duidelike verantwoording oor waarom klagtes sonder meriete steeds aanhoudende aandag geniet nie.
Hierdie benadering skep 'n gevaarlike presedent waar mededingers regulatoriese prosesse kan misbruik om hul teenstanders te teister en te diskrediteer.
4. DIE WERKLIKE MOTIEF: MEDEDINGINGSONDERDRUKKING
Die patroon is duidelik:
Mededingers dien veelvuldige klagtes in by verskeie liggame, hopend dat een sal vassit.
Sosiale media word gebruik om negatiewe narratiewe te skep, selfs sonder bewyse.
LuisterFM se hulpbronne word uitgeput deur die verdediging teen hierdie klagtes, wat ons van ons kernmissie aflei.
Die doelwit is nie om regulatoriese nakoming te verseker nie, maar om:
LuisterFM se reputasie te beskadig.
Ons finansiële stabiliteit te ondermyn deur kostes aan regsverdediging.
Markaandeel te verskuif na mededingende stasies soos RSG en BayFM.
5. ONS VERBINTENIS TOT DIE GEMEENSKAP:
Ten spyte van hierdie aanvalle, bly LuisterFM toegewyd aan:
Hoë-gehalte uitsendings wat ons gemeenskap verteenwoordig.
Volle samewerking met regulatoriese owerhede, mits die proses billik is.
Deursigtigheid en verantwoordbaarheid teenoor ons luisteraars.
Ons verwelkom konstruktiewe kritiek, maar ons verwerp pogings om regulatoriese prosesse te manipuleer vir kommersiële of persoonlike gewin.
6. 'N BEROEP OP REGVERDIGE BEHANDELING
Ons doen 'n dringende beroep op OKOSA en die BCU om:
Die belangebotsings van die klaers te ondersoek.
Geen verdere aandag te gee aan klagtes wat reeds verwerp is nie.
Te verseker dat regulatoriese prosesse nie misbruik word vir mededingende voordeel nie.
7. SLOTWOORD
LuisterFM sal nie geïntimideer word deur ongegronde klagtes of disinformasieveldtogte nie. Ons vertrou dat die publiek, ons luisteraars en die media die waarheid sal sien agter hierdie aanvalle.
Ons bedank ons gemeenskap vir hul voortgesette ondersteuning. Julle lojaliteit inspireer ons om te volhard in ons missie: om 'n stem te wees vir die mense wat ons dien.
EINDE VAN VERKLARING
Vir verdere navrae, kontak:
Mediabetrekkinge, LuisterFM
E-pos: [email protected]
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LUISTERFM REJECTS BASELESS COMPLAINTS AND REVEALS CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
LuisterFM, a leading community radio station proudly serving our local listeners, deems it necessary to inform the public about a series of unfounded complaints made against us. These complaints, which are clearly motivated by competitive interests and personal vendettas, form part of a broader pattern of harassment that not only disrupts LuisterFM's operations but also threatens the integrity of community radio.
1. COMPLAINANTS' CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The complaints lodged against LuisterFM primarily come from two individuals:
Mr. Jarques Arendt, a well-known radio personality at RSG, a competing station of LuisterFM.
Mr. Sarel Botha, a former presenter at LuisterFM and current presenter at BayFM, a direct competitor of our station.
The fact that both complainants are affiliated with competing radio stations creates a clear conflict of interest. Their complaints are not motivated by public interest but rather by an attempt to damage LuisterFM’s reputation and undermine our market share.
Mr. Botha’s personal vendetta:
Mr. Botha left the station years ago under controversial circumstances. Since then, he has shown a pattern of repeatedly lodging complaints with various regulatory bodies, most of which have been dismissed due to lack of merit. His actions indicate a personal campaign of retaliation rather than genuine concern over regulatory compliance.
Mr. Arendt’s anti-competitive agenda:
As an employee of RSG, Mr. Arendt has regularly attacked LuisterFM on social media without providing any evidence for his claims. His complaints to ICASA (the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa) and other bodies follow the same pattern: baseless allegations that are later dismissed.
2. SOCIAL MEDIA DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN
Mr. Arendt’s persistent negative remarks on social media are a clear attempt to undermine LuisterFM’s credibility. He regularly makes defamatory statements, such as:
Suggestions of impropriety in our advertising placements, particularly regarding businesses he claims are linked to our management.
Demeaning comments about LuisterFM’s broadcast quality, including statements like:
"They shouldn’t even look at a studio window,"
"Why should the public listen to ignorant people?"
"Their music is terrible",despite our high listener numbers and strong community support.
Most tellingly, Mr. Arendt frequently posts about ICASA’s investigations into the station following his complaints—most of which have been dismissed by ICASA. It is particularly noteworthy that he often deletes these posts shortly after publication, indicating an awareness of their inappropriate nature.
This pattern - posting potentially harmful content and then quickly removing it - reveals a calculated strategy to damage LuisterFM’s reputation while avoiding accountability for these statements.
3. THE BCU’S QUESTIONABLE INVESTIGATION
The Broadcast Compliance Unit (BCU) of ICASA has investigated several complaints against LuisterFM, but their approach raises serious concerns:
Ignoring Conflicts of Interest: The BCU has failed to adequately consider that the complainants are linked to competing stations.
Accepting Baseless Complaints: Complaints already dismissed by other regulatory bodies (such as the South African Institute of Professional Accountants, SAIPA) are still being used as grounds for further investigations.
Lack of Transparency: There is no clear explanation as to why meritless complaints continue to receive attention.
This approach sets a dangerous precedent where competitors can abuse regulatory processes to harass and discredit their rivals.
4. THE REAL MOTIVE: SUPPRESSION OF COMPETITION
The pattern is clear:
Competitors file multiple complaints with various bodies, hoping one will stick.
Social media is used to create negative narratives—even without evidence.
LuisterFM’s resources are drained by defending against these complaints, diverting us from our core mission.
The goal is not to ensure regulatory compliance but rather to:
Damage LuisterFM’s reputation.
Undermine our financial stability through legal defense costs.
Shift market share to competing stations like RSG and BayFM.
5. OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY
Despite these attacks, LuisterFM remains committed to:
High-quality broadcasts that represent our community.
Full cooperation with regulators, provided the process is fair.
Transparency and accountability to our listeners.
We welcome constructive criticism but reject attempts to manipulate regulatory processes for commercial or personal gain.
6. A CALL FOR FAIR TREATMENT
We urgently appeal to ICASA and the BCU to:
Investigate the complainants’ conflicts of interest.
Stop entertaining complaints that have already been dismissed.
Ensure regulatory processes are not abused for competitive advantage.
7. CLOSING STATEMENT
LuisterFM will not be intimidated by baseless complaints or disinformation campaigns. We trust that the public, our listeners, and the media will see the truth behind these attacks.
We thank our community for their continued support. Your loyalty inspires us to persevere in our mission: to be a voice for the people we serve.
END OF STATEMENT
For further inquiries, contact:
Media Relations, LuisterFM
Email: [email protected]
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