Patrick Salvador Idringi makes his debut on Sanyu FM. Courtesy photo
Salvador will now bring his comedy on the radio as he takes over the breakfast show on Sanyu FM amidst changes taking place at one of the oldest FM stations in Uganda.
He made his debut today, taking over the airwaves after the laying off of Sanyu FM staff who reportedly refused to take a 25% salary cut due to the effect on COVID-19 on the radio business.
But he has been received with mixed emotions. "What are they smoking over there!?? Fatboy is the Face/Voice of Sanyu Fm … It's insane now. My Radio Days are over!!," tweeted one @12Xaq.
"Guess it's time for us to stop listening to radio.. been a fan of the breakfast show for 10 years and more.. good luck in your next journey," tweeted one @cnakazzi.
"You have some very big shoes to fill. Good luck," at Lorna2012 also tweeted. But, even before making his debut, Salvador would hit back. "I don't, I have my shoes," he tweeted back.
"You have very big shoes to fill"… most have said to me. First of all.. it is very disrespectful for people to think I can even attempt to fill a legend's shoes… @jamesonen is a LEGEND… I'M COMING WITH MY OWN SHOES," he tweets also.
On his debut today Salvador posted on Facebook saying: " It's a good morning, I love new challenges, just to make it clear, I'm not replacing anyone. I'm not trying to fill or fit in the shoes of anyone…. I have my own shoes, I'm just SITTING IN (Radio terminology).. until the right team is identified….. My duty as a Ruparelia Group Ambassador is to help when called upon and I'm free….. Hope this Puts some of your minds at rest."
"So if you think you are good and have faith in yourself about being a good presenter or have experience in radio production, the opportunity has presented itself."
The Ruparelia Group Managing Director Rajiv Ruparelia reportedly said the laid-off staff achieved only 50 percent of the revenue of their budget and refused a 25 percent salary cut, opting to strike which conflicted with their contract hence terminating themselves. He says now is time for new blood at the Radio station.
Sanyu FM is the pioneer private FM radio station in East and Central Africa, has been in existence for over 20-years.
It went on air on 18, 1993, and for the first time, Ugandans could listen to music almost the whole day away from the government-run Radio Uganda, which had only about 20% of its programs dedicated to music, and the rest on ‘developmental' programs.
