Newcastle Radio presenter – Niyoshi Pillay rules the airwaves

There’s a new queen of local radio, and her name is Niyoshi Pillay. The bubbly 32-year-old, who describes herself as an independent single mother, steps away from her career as a training adviser on the weekends, to co-host a radio programme aimed at the youth.

For two hours on Sundays, she dominates Newcastle’s airwaves.

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“The show focuses on reaching, motivating and empowering the youth, through various topics.”

During her two-hour segment, Niyoshi hosts conversations and interviews guests, primary graduates, on career choices, studying and what makes them successful. The first part of the process is deciding on a theme.

Niyoshi said her average Sunday involved arriving at the studio, greeting listeners and creating hype for the topic, theme and guest interviewee.

“I chat to the listeners or give them facts, then play some tracks and move onto the topic. We break the programme into segments, even the interviews.”

Asked about the challenges of radio presenting, Niyoshi said there were few and said she loved being able to volunteer two hours to give back to the youth. To her, feedback from colleagues and listeners was most rewarding.

“My colleagues congratulate me and being recognised, appreciated and valued is rewarding. We also get students who comment on the topic or theme.”

During the week, Niyoshi works as a training adviser for a local college, where she handles student administration including drafting of quotations, registrations, examination bookings and workshopping. She has a psychology degree and her honours.

“I am working on my master’s degree and have also registered with the Council for Counsellors South Africa.”

Outside of working hours, Niyoshi, whose hometown is Dundee and who moved to Newcastle in 2015, enjoyed watching movies, going out to eat, singing and dancing with her three-year-old daughter, who she said is her passion and her everything. Sometimes she also dabbles in local film productions.

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Niyoshi was recently cast in the role of a villainous lawyer in a film shot in the Newcastle area about mining, which is set to air in August next year. There she got to meet many South African actors and actresses.

“It was inspirational to speak with these great minds, and was very motivating.”

To those looking to enter the field of radio presenting, Niyoshi said one needed to be outgoing, sociable, engaging and knowledgeable.

“Selfawareness is important to get your message across – be passionate about what you do!”

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