Thato Moeng

Senior News and Sports Anchor

Brief intro

Thato ‘Choo Choo’ Moeng is a vibrant, energetic and at times cocky Senior News and Sports anchor. She became part of the YFM news team in 2008 and has since been the energiser and medulla oblongata of the newsroom. Moeng heads the YFM sports department and at times reads news bulletin.

Over the part two years, she has been an executive producer for the YFM Current Affairs Show and presented YFM’s midweek entertainment feature – Yscoop.

Born and bred in Pretoria she is obsessed with Bafana Ba Style, Die Blou Bulle and The Titans, but seeing as they are constant winners, Super Sport United will also do for this sporting fanatic.

Brief professional background

She holds a National Diploma in Journalism from Tshwane University of Technology and is studying towards a B Tech degree through TUT. She has worked at Top Stereo and events company Stage Fright. In 2007 she joined YFM’s radio development programme – the Y-academy and joined the newsroom after graduating. She is now a sports presenter on YFM’s Breakfast show.

What is your position & how do you spend your work time?

Thato is the Senior News and Sports Anchor.

When did you get your break in radio?

Thato got her big break in radio when she started doing the gig guide at Top Stereo on the afternoon drive, but that was still not the cream of the cake, then she moved to doing current affairs on TUT fm, but then the big break came – Y Academy, and that really got the ball rolling.

What’s the best thing about the job?

Everyday is a gamble but the up’s and down’s makeup for the end results, which are priceless!

What’s the worst thing about the job?

When equipment gets rusty and there is nothing you can do about it but watch as the bulletin falls apart – but there has to be a bulletin that goes on air, noma kanjani!

Why do you prefer radio over print media?

Radio is theatre of the mind, radio is the here and now, radio is immediate, radio is vibrant, radio is! Print is exciting but radio is an adrenaline rush.

What was your most embarrassing moment on air?

When I swore on air during one of my first Y Academy shows, and I forgot to turn off the mic….Now I always make sure my mic is off.

Are social networking websites [Facebook, Twitter etc] good for journalism?

Look – in reality Facebook is fun and for friends, but the interesting thing is that Twitter is so informative it’s unbelievable, but both social networks are a learning curve, and you never know who you will find saying or doing what on both sites. All political parties are using social sites to churn out their news, government departments are using the sites to inform people of their plans…so social networking sites are great.