The radio announcers of Hitz.fm Kuching are (from left) Kiyoshi, Zachary, Natasha and Nehemiah.
KUCHING: The newest face at Hitz.fm Kuching, Zachary, is the youngest radio talent on Astro Radio.
The 17-year-old joined Hitz.fm two months ago after sitting for his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations in a public secondary school here.
Showing his talent from a young age, he had sent YouTube videos to Hitz.fm announcers Kiyoshi and Natasha when he was 13-years-old. At the time, he was making YouTube videos and he had won a prize in a bespoke competition.
“I wanted more views. So I thought by asking them to share my video, more people will watch my video. I like to entertain people,” said Zachary when met at the Hitz.fm Kuching radio station here yesterday.
The energetic and enthusiastic teenager was then called up to join the Hitz.fm family to be a radio announcer — his dream come true.
Kiyoshi said when the team was searching for new talent, he thought of Zachary.
“That is how he was discovered. It was a smart move to send us video,” Kiyoshi said, who is also a music executive.
Kiyoshi who joined Hitz.fm in 2012 hosts the 10am–1pm weekday show.
He said besides providing information and entertaining audiences, he focuses on playing great music that people want to listen to.
Meanwhile, Natasha said being a radio announcer is wonderful because the power of voice is unlimited.
“It doesn’t matter how you look—people remember you when they listen to your voice,” she said.
However, radio announcers also need to achieve a balance when they make jokes and entertain people as they should know what to say and what not to say, she added.
A Sabahan announcer who is now based in Hitz.fm Kuching is Nehemiah. The 22-year-old is a second year Cinematography degree student at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).
He started his career at Hitz.fm after he won the Hitz Announcer Search Sabah competition in April 2015. The Manchester United football fan is on air from 11am to 3pm on weekends.
Hitz.fm Kuching now has four announcers and five cruisers. The cruisers go out to meet and interact with people at 1pm and 4.45pm on weekdays and 6pm and 8.30pm on Saturdays.