East Coast Radio (South Africa)

East Coast Radio (ECR) is a KwaZulu-Natal commercial South African radio station with an audience of approximately 2 million. It is one of the largest regional radio stations in South Africa.

The station can also be heard online via its website and on channel 26 via Digital Worldspace Radio and is also available for listen on their app which is downloadable from the App Store and Google Play Store. It broadcasts from Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal. In November 2019, East Coast Radio had enabled a new online feature to listeners called East Coast Gold, which enables them to play music from the 1960s and the years that succeeded it. The station also seem to have a limited selection of music, as they constantly repeat songs.

East Coast Radio started as Radio Port Natal, broadcasting from the SABC studios in Old Fort Road, Durban on 1 May 1967. When the station upgraded its technology to include stereo broadcasts, it was rebranded to RPN Stereo. It was sold to the Kagiso Media Group on 1 July 1994.

The list of former radio presenters includes Daryl Ilbury, Alan Khan, Dave Guselli, Di Brophy, Damon Beard, Paul Harper, Nigel Maud,Tim Thabethe, Clayton Robbertze, Omar Essack, Mags van der Westhuizen, Mel Massyn, Makhosi Khoza, Lev David and Ravi R, Minnie Ntuli, Keri Miller, Vic Naidoo, Mike V amongst others. And the current presenters are, Darren Maule, Carmen Reddy, Sky Shabalala, Carol Ofori, Stacey Norman, J Sbu, Tee Xaba, Sam Cele, Buhle Hlatshwayo, Andy James, Sershen Moodeliar, Nick Taithen, Danny Guselli, Elaine Williams (formally Allan).

ECR is also a leading host in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, planning and putting on great events, such as The Toy Story charity drive, The Big Walk, and even Durban Day. ECR dominates in the affluent LSM 6-10 urban group in KwaZulu-Natal with an operating profit margin of 50.8% in 2006.

East Coast Radio is a sister station to Jacaranda FM based in Pretoria.

In 2015 the station appointed former KZN Tourism Marketing manager Boni Mchunu as its General Manager.

East Coast Radio has long term sponsorship partnerships with sports teams based in KwaZulu-Natal, including Super Rugby outfit, The Sharks, soccer outfit AmaZulu as well as cricket franchise The Sunfoil Dolphins.