Bobby Brown has been a media professional all his life, having worked on all traditional and emerging platforms over the years, at one stage, in all of them simultaneously. His career started with the Sunday Times and then The Star newspapers in 1992. At the same time, he had his first taste of radio, co-hosting the weekend breakfast show opposite the legendary Will Bernard on SAfm. After joining the pioneering Talk Radio 702, television came beckoning. Over the years, Bobby has found himself doing short stints on MNet’s glossy magazine show “Front Row,” presenting several inserts on eTV, co-presenting South Africa’s segment in the global millennium broadcast and eventually joining the stellar cast of SABC2’s ground-breaking breakfast show AM2Day. Bobby’s most memorable assignment for AM2Day was as field reporter travelling from the northern-most tip of Africa, to the southern-most tip in 4X4s, broadcasting live from a different country every other day.
In between, he worked in various capacities at Kfm, Cape Talk and freelanced for The Cape Times and several international media houses. He joined Smile 90.4FM ahead of its launch in 2013, the same year in which he won the MTN Radio Award for “Best News Bulletin Reader” – the one and only time he ever entered a media competition. Bobby currently co-presents Smile Breakfast, with Lindy Lehto, weekdays from 6am to 9am. In addition to presenting, Bobby loves to DJ at parties and events, writes a weekly social commentary page deconstructing current affairs topics in the Daily Voice and is a highly regarded corporate MC and events strategist.
OFF AIR WITH BOBBY BROWN
What’s something someone would never guess about you? I’m an introvert who doesn’t really like the spotlight. And I’m a great cook.
What is your favourite song lyrics? “Rolling like thunder, under the covers.”
What music is currently on repeat in your car/house/phone? Any melancholic jazz
What do you still hope to achieve in your career? I have worked in all mass media, except for one. So I must write a book before I die, and I’m busy with it.
Who is your go-to musician on any given day? Without a doubt … Sade.
