DAVID CROSS
Perdeby caught up with TuksFM DJ, Alex Caige, who was recently awarded the Best Daytime Presenter award at the MTN Radio Awards 2012. Caige shares his thoughts regarding his award and gives us a brief peek into the workings of the radio industry.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
From a young age I wanted to either work in radio, be a pilot or be a Formula 1 driver, but more specifically just media. The opportunity to entertain people has always appealed to me, which gave me [an] incentive to go into radio.
How did you get involved in radio?
I’ll never forget it. A former TuksFM DJ, Kenzy Vinco, allowed me to give it a try when I was on matric holiday. It looked really cool. I knew that you would have to be quick on your feet so I decided to give it a try. After I told her that I had applied at Tuks, she recommended that I apply for a position at TuksFM.
Who are your radio DJ influences?
Starting out as a youngster, I enjoyed listening to Revin John from 94.7. BBC radio DJ, Chris Moyles, is also right up there, but I think my favourite DJ would have to be Gareth Cliff from 5FM. He’s a brilliant DJ. He does what radio should always do and entertains his listeners.
How did you feel when your name was announced as the winner of Best Daytime Presenter?
It was surreal. I was really hoping for it, just being nominated for the award was mind-blowing itself. I can remember the adrenaline rush surging through my body after Jeremy Mansfield announced my name as the winner. I was over the moon and everything seemed so surreal at the time. Very few people know how much hard work goes into radio and into creating a good show and it was good to see the hard work paying off.
What do you look forward to the most when you enter the studio?
Knowing that even if there’s one person, ten people or ten thousand people listening to my show, I have the opportunity to entertain people and to have some sort of influence over their thinking or the course of their day. To walk into the studio every day, speak behind the microphone and gain the attention of any listener is extremely powerful.
In a nutshell, describe what it’s like to work for TuksFM?
I think it’s the best station in the world in the sense that we accommodate not just for our students but also for outside the university, and we’re able to do that with people who can relate to being a student. I think that’s priceless in the sense that a listener’s ability to relate to what the station is all about.
How do you like to deliver your show to listeners?
It’s [all] about fun and energy. It’s a privilege being able to give people commentary about what’s going on in politics and the world, and while I’m doing that I want to bring a sense of fun and energy which results in an entertaining show. If I’m able to put a smile on a listener’s face or evoke a positive feeling within them while they listen to my show, then I’ve done my job.
What are your future plans in the radio industry?
I’m very happy at TuksFM. It’s taken four years of hard work to get to where I am and I want to build on that and take TuksFM to new heights. With the help of my show, I want TuksFM to take its listenership to a record high. My ultimate goal would be to one day work at BBC1, one of the biggest radio stations in the world.
What advice do you have for any aspiring radio DJs out there?
Being a radio presenter is simply about being yourself. So be yourself, work hard, and if you’ve got a dream, do it.
Photo: Eleanor Harding
