(Ecofin Agency) - Radio Alpha Blondy FM does not only bear the name of the famous music artist. In 5 months of operation, the media has already found its footing and made its mark in the Ivorian media world. This is the overview of the managers of the radio launched last March. Alpha Blondy FM is in the top 5 of the best radio stations in Abidjan, they claimed during the press conference given on 20 July 2015.

The outlook is promising, the managing director Haïdara Mohammed assured. “We are admittedly a community radio, but the Haute Autorité de la Communication Audiovisuelle (HACA) has asked us to become a commercial radio”, he announced, explaining that this was made possible thanks to investments made by the president founder of the radio, Alpha Blondy, whose real name is Koné Seydou.

To change its status, Alpha Blondy FM will have to pay FCfa 400 million (approximately US$ 666,500). The radio station also wants to extend its coverage throughout the country; which will necessitate the installation of 5 transmitters each of 5,000 Mhz, in the cities of Yamoussoukro, Korhogo, Aboisso, Bouna and San Pedro. At the moment, Alpha Blondy FM covers the district of Abidjan, as well as the cities of Bonoua, Grand Bassam and Toumodi. But the radio is on the Intelsat satellite and will soon be on the CanalSat bundle.

The marketing and communication manager, Viel Stéphanie Sonia, recalled that the radio differentiates itself through its positioning: a therapeutic radio. The programs and musical selections interspersed with joke sequences. “When you tune into 97.9 frequency, you must be able to escape reality, to be entertained, to have fun, to educate yourself, to get some culture… The radio is based on music and humour”, she explained.

Every evening from 9pm to 11pm, Alpha Blondy himself hosts a show called “Radio Livre”, dedicated to instilling a passion for reading. He has already read for the listeners many classics of African literature, including “Allah is not obliged” by Ahmadou Kourouma, “Houseboy” by Ferdinand Oyono, “Things fall apart” by Chinua Achebe or Camara Laye’s “The African Child”.  There were also the 604 pages of the Quran in French read in 8 days during the month of Ramadan. Alpha Blondy has announced the reading of the 1808 pages of the Old Testament translated from Hebrew.