Social media came alive after listeners discovered that the deep, mature voice heard in Heart FM news broadcasts belongs to 23-year-old journalist Dulton de Jongh. Many listeners admitted they imagined an 'old wise uncle' behind the familiar voice.
Dulton de Jongh, who works as a news anchor at Heart 104.9 FM, caused a stir on TikTok by posting a 'day in the life' video that allowed listeners to see the face behind the familiar voice. Shocked Cape Town residents quickly appeared in the comments, saying they pictured an older white man when listening to his news.
One user joked: 'I thought it was groot wit uncle,' adding: 'I swear, I thought it was GROOT WIT UNCLE. Bro, you fooled us all. Hello!' Another wrote: 'Wow. I didn't know you were so young. Well done, young man. You sound like an experienced professional.'
However, although his age might have been a surprise to many, De Jongh has been involved in the radio industry since he was 13. The young journalist grew up in Johannesburg, where he started his career at the community radio station Kofifi FM in Westbury. At the end of 2021, he moved to Cape Town with his family.
Transition from Community Radio to Heart FM
He shared that radio is part of his blood because it was all he knew growing up, and he participated in a youth show throughout his high school and university studies. Despite this early passion, not everyone was sure that radio would be a viable profession.
De Jongh recalled how a family member questioned his plans after moving to Cape Town. He told them he was going to work at Heart FM, to which they simply laughed and advised him to be more realistic. After that, he worked at eTV News, where he was part of the production team for the evening segment of good stories, before joining Heart FM News almost two years ago. Looking back, he noted that he always wanted to say that it was realistic.
The viral video also prompted De Jongh to wonder if his voice really sounded that old. The next day, he went into the office and asked the programming manager, Vernon Nel, if he really sounded that old, adding that he did so with a smile. He believes that the difference between his voice on air and off air might explain this confusion.
His Voice Sounds Older On Air
He explained that in university, he had an English teacher who taught articulation and how to convey a message that listeners could easily understand. He hypothesized that when broadcasting, he loses his original accent, and perhaps in his case, this makes him sound much older than he actually is.
Recently, De Jongh has started sharing more behind-the-scenes videos to give listeners a better idea of what happens at the station. He wants to show people what goes on behind the scenes, emphasizing that radio is a very dynamic environment where many people work in the background contributing to success that the public never knows or hears about. When he is not behind the microphone, De Jongh continues his studies, pursuing a bachelor's degree in Communications with International Politics at Unisa.