We have lost all that was good about radio quite some time ago

Nov 09, 2009 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Recently I was engaged with an interview with someone with great knowledge, insight, passion and love for radio in Guyana.

Maybe our exchange of views and ideas may be of benefit to your readers as this essay would also allow me to conclude my own assumption that we lost all that was good about radio quite some time ago and that the current cabal of persons in its charge is leading radio broadcasting to the grave- yard so to speak.

My first correspondence mentioned a few names of veterans in radio, many of whom are not with us today. It also praised the current genres of music being aired on Guyanese radio for they bring back so many memories. The penultimate letter which was published a few weeks ago outlined a few dos and don’ts as well as a few things which disgust me as a listener of 98.1FM.

Many of the programmes currently airing on the Voice of Guyana had their humble beginnings decades ago by persons, I’m sure, who had a deep passion for radio. They lived the lives of radio broadcasters — they lived for radio broadcasting.

My interview began with the utterance of names like Prince Mason who started ‘Action Line’ back in the days of GBS; Bobby Reece [now residing in Antigua) who started ‘Best BY Request’. ‘Action Line’ used to be aired three times a week back then: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Now it isn’t even aired at all although it is on the NCN programme guide Monday after Monday (just for show I guess). Officers from the Burnhamite administration often frequented the airtime on the programme and even if they had to ‘bluff’ their way through questions and answering to the people; they made it their duty to be present on ‘Action Line’ whenever they were invited.

Vivid memories of Celeste Dolphin and Paloma Mohammed’s times spent hosting ‘Talking about Education’ (which was aired nightly) evolved. The individual said that lots of persons want to help bring back radio from its current sad state, but they won’t.

They recalled William Harris’ love for broadcasting the Fogarty’s Santa Parade. Deborah Francis hosted the children’s show ‘Jaycee’s Corner’. Persons like SN’s feature columnist Cynthia Nelson, Stan Gouveia and Merrano Isaacs started their careers on that show.

The person stated that Radio Demerara and Guyana Broadcasting Station (GBS) had competition with each other. Standards had to be high back then. Not so today. NCN has the monopoly and no competitor in the business. This may be the reason for the high level of mediocrity on radio today.

It is the opinion of the person that the merger of radio and television a few years ago has done more harm than the good many thought it would have done. They challenged the University of Guyana or some other entity of that calibre to carry out a study or survey which would either prove or disprove that statement. Up to the time of the merger, they said, radio had a little standard, prestige, creativity — news was always on time.

They recalled the big fire in Georgetown the other day. Radio was not there. They shared that radio covered so many events and activities in the past. Radio would’ve been the first to break the news of the fire in Georgetown, they opined. Passionate about current affairs and live happenings which they believed the nation should’ve been aware of on-the-spot; broadcasters brought events and news as they happened, on radio.

There were more quality programmes on radio back then. Programmes such as ‘Radio Digest’, documentaries on Sundays, educational programmes came to mind. Producers and announcers alike took pride to create and broadcast such programmes – not so now. There seems to be nobody with “flare” to bring back radio, the resource person stated.

NCN at the moment seems to be comfortable with who and what they have. Mention was also made about the Berbice operations of NCN. This letter writer has written on NCN Berbice on so many occasions, he has lost count. There has been no improvement — none in the running of the Berbice branch of NCN. NCN has not placed anyone professional (in Berbice) according to the veteran.

‘Hello Berbice’ and ‘Hello Essequibo’ were also favourites back in the day recalled the veteran; also ‘The Mayor’s Report’.

Deaths and Messages was the most popular programme on radio a few years ago. Now television has stolen that away from radio.

James Sydney trained a lot of broadcasters, a few of whom still are on radio today. Those include Franklin Langhorne, Prudence Lewis, Basil Bradshaw, Bibi Narine, Russel Lancaster, among many others. How many of those names are still on radio today? Only Mr Langhorne is, who does an excellent job hosting the ‘Memories, Melodies, Magic’ (Triple ‘M’ Show) on Tuesday evenings.

Hugh Hamilton used to host ‘Nightride’. He also used to accompany Mr Burnahm to overseas meetings and engagements. These meetings were reported on by Mr Hamilton to radio in Guyana, live on the news.

The person questioned as to which journalist travels with the current President to do such reporting for the media in Guyana, especially on radio. ‘Rolling Along’ began at 4pm on weekdays which was also known as the ‘going home hour’. Yulita Anthony also hosted ‘Sunshine Corner’ in the afternoons and the ‘Onward Upward Show’.

Broadcasters also hailed from the Ancient County such as Dr Rovin Deodat, Moses Hussein and Matthew Alleyne. Other names such as Jasmine Sahoye, Indira Badal and Rosemary Benjamin also came up for discussion. “You give Maggie Lawrence a microphone and the possibilities are endless”. How many of the current broadcasters can effectively and artistically bring an outdoor broadcast to the listening public without grammatical blunders and poor commentating?

What ever happened to ‘Living History?’ That programme was presented after thorough research into the history books of Guyana by academic individuals from the University of Guyana and other institutions.

The morning programmes on Radio Roraima used to be competently hosted by Clive Bacchus and Alex Graham.

The individual agreed that television has overrun radio broadcasts and broadcasting in Guyana. They are right. NCN, to my view, since the merger, has placed more resources towards their television station and have stifled finances, quality human resource persons and general interest in the operations of the radio station. That was when radio began to die away in Guyana.

When private radio stations are established in Guyana, I am sure without a doubt that the veteran broadcasters who were all run out and sent packing for whatever reasons, will come running to those radio stations. Their talents, skills, experience and most importantly love for radio will see them being recruited by radio station owners. They will return. Competition will come on the scene for NCN. Quality will be restored to Guyana radio — sadly on other privately-owned radio stations. That day I am sure will come. 

So recently, there has been an upsurge in criticisms of NCN Radio’s broadcasters — about which announcer is better than the other; names have been used as well. I’ve been complaining to NCN through these columns over the years as well. Was anyone listening? I think it is safe to say that the management is comfortable with their current situation and quality to the Guyanese public and they would not be pushed to act otherwise — not by myself or no one else’s letters. The current band of broadcasters — or most anyway — need to be fired. They have little or no love and passion for being in radio. We have to pray though that the Merrano Isaacs, Wanita Huburns, Andrea Josephs, Ron Robinsons and Franklin Langhornes stay on the air as they are much of the hopeful handfuls which NCN Radio employ today. Only two of those names are veterans. I ask again: what happened to the rest?

Leon Jameson Suseran

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