Why Bridget Masinga left Jacaranda for Kaya

TV/radio personality Bridget Masinga is moving to the ‘Home of the Afropolitan’ Kaya FM following her departure from Jacaranda FM – a brief stint since she joined the commercial radio station just a year ago.

Although she strongly holds that Jacaranda offered her a lot of growth, the move to Kaya was quite simple for Masinga as she needed to have more of her voice heard ‘unrestricted’.

“Jacaranda is very music-driven and I’m a touch-feel-tangible-kind-of-girl. I needed to be in a space that reflected that. A space that allows you to do whatever you like because they believe in you so much as an entertainer, broadcaster, young black woman and say we want to hear your voice, unrestricted,” Masinga points out.

“Jacaranda afforded me the opportunity to grow beyond my comfort zone. It afforded me the opportunity to do some introspection and figure out who I am as a broadcaster and most importantly what kind of voice I want to have in this space.”

The move to Kaya reunites Masinga with her mentor and former YFM boss Greg Maloka (now MD at Kaya) and she couldn’t be happier. Masinga was on YFM for five years.

“Greg and I have always been talking. He’s a hybrid of my big brother and my dad. He’s my radio mentor, overall career mentor and life mentor,” Masinga states.

“When I went to Jacaranda, I spoke to Greg and from the onset he said go conquer and fly, but know that you are coming home. When you come home, it’s just up to you. I went in knowing that at some point I’m going to exit. I’m home now.”

Masinga will hold it down on Monday to Wednesday between 21h00 – 23h00 and again on Sundays between 22h00 – 00h00 on The Last Show with Bridget Masinga.

Radio giants Thomas Msengana and Proverb have also landed hot weekend spots, while from October former Destiny Man magazine editor Kojo Baffoe will be hosting a new in-depth talk show.
“The show is literally going to encompass everything that is truly me.

Everything that people knows me for and everything that I have been building in the entertainment industry in the last 15 years. As much as it takes the thematic of being an arts and culture show that is inspirational, it’s also going to be a show that introduces you to the heart beat and the voices weather it’s behind a brand, movement or campaign,” Masinga explains.

“I’m a firm believer that in order to realize people’s successes and understand them you need to know what makes them tick and what drives them. So it’s going to have its light moments and its informative moments.”

Masinga reveals that she is also plotting her big TV comeback. Last time she did some presenting work was on All Access Mzansi in 2013. Although she has had cameo roles on Isibaya and Rockville recently, the last time she had a big acting stint was in 2008 on TV drama Bay of Plenty. Due to her busy schedule, she had to turn down a role on Mzansi Magic’s short-lived telenovela The Road.

The 35-year-old former model has been in the industry for 15 years. She started modelling at the age of 16. Asked about what the biggest misconception about her is, she replies:
“People often experience me in light-hearted situations where I’m jolly, laughing and care-free.

Then I put on my grownup girl panties I like to call them, then I deliver some tough love and some smarts. Then people go: ‘wait a minute quite a formidable force this one and quite a smart black cookie this one’. Don’t be fooled, just because the stroke says model/presenter/radio DJ, trust me there is more to it.” – Sowetanlive