Spice FM in Sekondi-Takoradi is vibrant
The radio broadcast landscape in the Sekondi -Takoradi area in the Western Region is undergoing change as Kwame Adu-Mante’s Spice 91.9 FM races to lead the competition among the top- ranked stations in the metropolis.
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Spice FM closed down for nearly six years. Within a year after acquiring the station from its original owners, however, Adu - Mante and his team have managed to transform it into a vibrant and entertaining station driving a lot of advertising campaigns and offering thrilling on-air promotions.
In a chat with Showbiz, Adu-Mante who is also CEO of Radio Maxx in the same metropolis, described the acquisition of Spice FM as part of the ‘Orange experience.’
Orange is the colour of Radio Maxx and Adu-Mante said it was based on the useful experience obtained from there that encouraged him to go in for Spice FM.
“We have managed to make Radio Maxx the market leader in the region. We still need to grow so the best option was for us to consolidate and acquire more stations and use the same resources and base to get extra revenue,” Adu-Mante said.
According to him, the eventual plan is to get four radio stations targeting the English, up - market clientele; a local language radio for the the low to middle end of the market; a youthful music and ‘funky’ station and also a hybrid station that has a bit of everything.
He said Spice FM is designed to meet the low and mid level end of listenership and that it is predominantly driven by sports news, social talk and music. Politics is set to come on board later.
“Akan listeners form the bulk of those we target at Spice. These are people who need a platform to speak out about basic social services, follow their favourite football clubs and catch up with the latest gossip in the communities.
“We try hard to provide what they want while Radio Maxx remains firmly entrenched at the English – high end of the market,” the Spice FM boss says.
Unlike the orange colour for Radio Maxx, Spice FM has adopted red and green and the tagline: ‘Spice, Waaye dew’ which means Spice FM is now sweet.
“The station’s colours were carefully chosen,” says Adu-Mante. “Red represents energy. It excites emotions and motivates us to take action while green represents life, growth and longevity.”
Sports is a major item at Spice FM and the station’s sports team comprises Kuntu Blankson who has several of experience from Skyy Group, Oti Asrifi and Samuel Kofi Larbi.
John Gasper, aka Fofo formerly at Adom FM handles the drive time programme. Antwi Boasiako, formerly of Kyzz FM handle the morning devotion.
There are other talented deejays in the background providing strong support to the team of presenters.
Spice FM, in its bid to take radio to the communities, invested in an outside broadcast (OB) van which facilitates broadcast from anywhere in the metropolis.
“We have been around for only a year and doing fine. By the time we celebrate our second anniversary, we shall be ruling the nation’s Oil City,” Adu-Mante said with confidence.