In 1985, in the first years of Radio Skid Row, Michael Scott started doing an African radio program on the station. Michael went to air late at night doing a show aimed at promoting African music and the popular Afrika Nights gigs in Sydney.
Not long after he joined the station, Radio Skid Row offered both the ANC and PAC political parties in Australia a timeslot. Michael, who was a member of the PAC jumped at the chance and took the Sunday lunchtime slot with his co-host Hindi and Afrika Connexions was born. Soon after the show started, the PAC’s Chief Representative in Sydney, Neville Legge, became the third presenter of Afrika Connexions- the program which continues today.
The tone of Afrikan Connexions grew logically out of the PACs previous work with the community. Prior to starting the program, they had recognized that they needed to counteract the poor image of African culture that was being perpetuated by a one-sided Australian media. Among the founders of the program, there was a shared feeling that this could be effectively done through music. Starting in the late 1970s, with barbeques in backyards, they would play African music late into the night. These nights were called Afrika Nights and grew to such a size people were filling Paddington Town Hall to see local African and Aboriginal bands play and local political figures speak about the ongoing struggle in South Africa.
After September 1985, the mix of music and politics that could be found at Afrika Nights, could also be heard across Sydney on 88.9FM. Featuring some of the best music from Africa and the West Indies and a half-hour news program, presenters were able to represent Africa in a positive and liberating way.