Metro FM has broken the bank to rehire radio host extraordinaire Tbo Touch with a whopping salary of half a million a month in a desperate bid to arrest listenership bleed and woo back lost advertisers.
Tbo Touch, who left the station about five years ago to start his own digital station, Touch HD, will rejoin South Africa’s biggest commercial radio station from next month. When he quit the station, rumour swirled that he had left after he was suspended for refusing to read a Hyundai advert, resulting in the SABC losing at least R16-million worth of advertising.
The versatile club DJ will return to host the station’s afternoon drive show, which he popularized by, among others, hosting a series of impromptu interviews with international A-list celebrities such as billionaire boxer Floyd Mayweather and award-winning rapper 50 Cent.
Two highly placed sources, who did not want to be named, said Tbo Touch, whose real name is Thabo Molefe, was approached by SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe early last year, who pleaded with him to return to the station. Tbo Touch had initially sneezed at Mxakwe’s request because of how he was treated at the station, but he eventually agreed after a series of talks.
“Touch had initially wanted R1-million salary per month but Madoda told him there was no way in hell they could afford to pay him such an amount. They then settled at R480 000 per month,” said the source. Another source confirmed his unexpected return to Metro FM. “Madoda has been chasing after Touch’s signature for almost a year now.
Touch agreed to go back to the station on condition that he gets his afternoon drive show back and the SABC obliged. They settled on R480 000 salary per month. “Touch is not only going to host his show there, but as part of his agreement, he would also go and find advertisers and sponsors for his show and for the station. That is why R30 000 of that package is for a car allowance,” he said.
Tbo Touch couldn’t be reached for comment. When asked for a comment on Tbo Touch’s salary, SABC spokesperson Gugu Ntuli said they would reveal their new line-up soon.
For the latest sports news from Sunday World, click here.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
