solutions
I work as a media consultant, specialising in:
- Mainstream ‘mass audience’ radio programming
- Ratings-winning format clocks and competitor-proof music playlisting
- Turning radio brands into market leaders through precision targeting, based on incisive and analytical perceptual research of the available market
- Responsive audience aggregation and retention – stretching the format smartly and taking on-air content straight into social media feeds
- Creating a modern “Tagesbegleiter” (‘daily companion’) – radio as a real-life trusted destination in a world of internet fatigue and information overload
• Bilingual (English & Afrikaans) audio and video content creation
• Broadcast journalism scripting
• Format experience: full-spectrum, Light AC, AC, Hot AC, PBS, News/Talk
• Longform article writing for newspapers, magazines, and blogs
• Live radio broadcasting and pre-recorded radio production
• Live and pre-recorded TV presenting
• Voice-overs – from 30-second productions to long-form narration
public • broadcasting • ethos
In effect, all radio stations are public by nature and in the business of serving listeners. Sir John Reith’s original 1920’s public broadcasting service ideals – to entertain, inform and educate – are, to a greater or lesser extent, alive and well all over the world. Some broadcasters focus more on entertainment, some less. Some are respected and trusted conveyors of information while others jam the news into 90 seconds. Most educate in some form or another, although few are good at creating really enriching, memorable content. But collectively they all fulfil in people’s old-fashioned need of a shared public space.
entertainment
I am involved with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) where I work across the Afrikaans language public broadcasting service (‘PBS’).
I spend most of my time in Johannesburg’s iconic Radio Park building where I take care of the music playlist of one of the SABC’s national stations, Radio Sonder Grense (‘Radio Without Borders’ – one of the Top 10 biggest radio stations in the country). Here I also feature as a presenter and news bulletin reader.
I am also involved with the popular Namibian commercial station, Kosmos 94.1, as a music programming consultant. Previously I consulted for Kaya FM during a playout and scheduling upgrade and spent 10 years at Jacaranda FM, ending the stint as the station’s Music & Scheduling Manager.
vermaak
Ek is betrokke by die Suid-Afrikaanse Uitsaaikorporasie (SAUK) en werk hier vir die Afrikaanse openbare uitsaaidiens.
Ek bring die meeste van my tyd deur in Johannesburg se ikoniese Radiopark-gebou waar ek die musiekspeellys versorg van een van die SAUK se nasionale stasies, RSG (‘Radio Sonder Grense’ – een van die Top 10 grootste radiostasies in die land). Hier werk ek ook as ‘n aanbieder en nuusleser.
Ek is ook betrokke as musiekprogrammeringskonsultant by die gewilde Namibiese kommersiële radiostasie, Kosmos 94.1. Ek het voorheen gekonsulteer vir Kaya FM tydens die opgradering van ‘n uitspeel- en skeduleringstelsel en het 10 jaar deurgebring by Jacaranda FM, waar ek uiteindelik die stasie se Musiek- en Skeduleringsbestuurder was.
information
My other great passion is journalism and reliable dissemination of information – therefore I still actively work in the news environment, lately as a radio presenter and producer in various formats.
Previously I spent 7 years as a prime time news anchor for the evening newscast ‘eNuus’ produced by eNCA for the popular DStv channel kykNET. I was also a weekend and evening anchor on the main eNCA channel. In addition, I enjoy writing feature articles for the Media24 newspapers Beeld and Rapport as well as their online news portal, Netwerk24.
inligting
My ander groot passie is joernalistiek en die betroubare verspreiding van inligting, en daarom werk ek steeds aktief in die nuusomgewing, deesdae as 'n radioaanbieder en -vervaardiger in verskeie formate.
Ek was voorheen vir 7 jaar lank ‘n ankeraanbieder van die aandnuusbulletin ‘eNuus’ wat vir die gewilde DStv-kanaal kykNET vervaardig word deur eNCA. Ek was ook ‘n naweek- en aandnuusanker op eNCA se hoofkanaal. Daarbenewens hou ek daarvan om nou en dan leefstylartikels te skryf vir die Media24-koerante Beeld en Rapport, en hulle aanlyn-nuusportaal, Netwerk24.
education
Useful insights derived from quality research have always been my guiding light in building winning strategies - for music, programming, and marketing initiatives of radio brands. A course in radio management at the Deutsche Welle Academy in Bonn and Berlin, Germany, put me in touch with some great strategic radio minds and sowed the seeds for numerous research projects I was involved in. German broadcaster and media executive Thomas Roth, partner of ONAIR.de (provider of the globally utilised scheduling software MusicMaster), exposed me to the art of formatting a major market radio station – by purely using good perceptual research. This was a key moment in developing my meticulous format clock building skills – by designing a minute-by-minute blueprint to counter competing programming and serve audiences with the best possible offering.
Since then, I have been working closely with international radio experts like Kevin Cassidy and Phil Dowse amongst others – commissioning global and local research providers to produce quality insights that enabled the precision-targeting of programming output – which led to increased ratings and revenue market share as a direct consequence. I project managed qualitative and quantitative research studies and negotiated custom-made solutions that got the best information out of potential listeners – thereby substantially outperforming ‘off the shelf’ products and increasing the opportunities to drive brand health to its highest levels.
endorsements
His attention to detail when building the station’s music architecture in relation to clocks, music categories, coding of music, integrating promo schedules, station imaging and the commercial log I have never come across in my twenty-some years in dealing with Selector, Linker and associated proprietary software. Gustav has the innate ability to look at complex operational and research problems and understand and offer solutions to them in a very short space of time… In the short time I worked with Gustav he impressed me with his insight and skills and I would rate him as the best music manager in the country.
One of the very few users who fill me with delight is Gustav Greyling. He ‘gets it’! He digs ever deeper into our products, challenging both the product and our own knowledge of its capabilities… He has the ability to remain calm whatever the circumstances and hysteria surrounding him. In short, he is a ‘guru user’ of RCS products. I welcome this opportunity to suggest that Gustav would be ideally suited to any broadcasting position anywhere in the world.
Gustav is that rare beast, a programmer with one eye on the station format and the other on the commercial opportunities that a station will no doubt present to any potential advertisers or sponsors. Together, we worked closely in terms of imaging the station, whether it was for any of the stations’ music campaigns, themed weekends or any of the events the station became known for. Furthermore, together we put together and implemented a station campaign called Double Up that would later go on to win the prestigious Radio Award for Best Station Promotion at the South African Radio Awards. To say Greyling had an eye (or ear) for detail would do no justice to what he is capable of.
PDM works with a lot of good people and apart from generating ratings and revenue growth a real passion for our company is the identifying and developing of high potential talent.
Gustav Greyling is one such high potential. Over the years he grew into a Selector expert, a music director, and media executive of real quality. Gus certainly understands what it takes to win in this new digital world. He gets strategy, is focused, can project manage and can deliver on tasks.
My experiences with Gus demonstrated that he is a strong strategic thinker with significant potential to excel. During my 7 years of consulting with Jacaranda, Gus was directly involved in meetings and gained significant programming knowledge in the process.
Gus was always eager to learn and became quite skilled in research interpretation and programming strategy and tactics.
He had the ability to see the big pictures and was helpful in determining actions that would positively impact a brand strategy.
I am confident that his understanding and grasp of the consumer research environment was essential to the success that we witnessed over my 5 years as CEO. Jacaranda FM had actively targeted a female audience and Gustav was vital to this tactical plan due to his understanding of the audience segment in our broadcast footprint. This coupled with his understanding of interpreting audience ratings, supported my efforts in providing our Board of Directors with the confidence that the business was on solid ground.
What I’ve learned from him is the ability to translate research results into actionable business insights that ultimately enables management to improve the Jacaranda FM offering and grow audiences. Gustav has always been the voice of reason, especially when we’ve dealt with international radio experts or consultants who sometimes made the mistake of thinking ‘one size fits all’ without understanding the complexity of the local heterogonous market.
I can honestly state that I today regard him as one of probably the Top 5 television presenters in South Africa. Over and above his professionalism and ability to connect with his audiences, he is also fully bilingual, which makes him a rare and sought-after commodity in the media environment in our country.
His voice, broadcasting instinct and approach makes him a natural showman in the fields of both radio and television. He is one of the most gifted broadcasters that I have met in my career. Gustav’s journalistic instinct and ability to present news with credibility is astounding, and the camera and microphone loves him – which are the cornerstones of success in this industry.
As a writer for television news, his understanding of scripting for visual news is exceptional. Gustav is also an excellent storyteller and manages to reflect the facts accurately…he also has the ability to stay in tune with the ever-changing demands of our audiences in the times in which we live.
Gustav Greyling has built a reputation as a news anchor who has the ability to connect with the audience to such an extent that they perceive him to be a credible presenter whom they can trust. As a news writer, he shows a clear understanding of television as a visual medium and how to use it to maximise the emotional impact of news reports.
Gustav is a self-starter who managed to cram much experience and win accolades in his time. His humbleness and dedication regarding his work are worth much in this field of work. He has the ability to outshine any spirit of mediocrity.
Gustav has cultivated the ability to be a presenter with a generosity of spirit in much magnanimity towards the widest diversity of people and subjects with a mature and balanced perspective.
showreel
Here is some of my work in audio, video and print journalism:
1. As a news anchor on eNCA, eNuus and SABC News
2. As radio presenter and producer
Radio-insetsel vervaardig vir RSG se Monitor-kersdagprogram met orrelis Marnus Greyling:
3. As article writer
Artikels vir Beeld en Rapport, beskikbaar op Netwerk24, portaal van gewilde Afrikaanse koerante en tydskrifte beskikbaar vanaf R99 per maand (klik op logo hier onder):
