The unveiling of a radio station in UK was disrupted as listeners were directed to Malawi’ Times Radio Station which happens to share the same name with the newly launched radio.
The launch of the radio on Sunday is said to have been that of high budget with high profile presenters holding an exclusive interview with UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Unfortunetely, many of those trying to tune in to the new station via Amazon’s smart speakers, Alexa, were baffled to be directed instead to Times Radio Malawi.
Rather than hearing the new Times Radio’s breakfast show hosts, Aasmah Mir and Stig Abell, hold in-depth discussions on the prime minister’s education policies, listeners were treated to a Chichewa-language discussion of Malawi’s politics and some upbeat music.
According to The Guardian, Smart speakers are a crucial way of reaching new radio audiences as a fifth of British homes have one, with them often replacing radios in kitchens. However, the issue highlights the lack of control local broadcasters have over interfaces designed by international tech companies that struggle to adapt to local needs.
During the time, Malawi’s Times Radio was covering local politics news as the President elect Dr Lazarus Chakwera had just been sworn in as the country’s 6th President following a bitter election.
