Dear Editor,

Cricket fans around the region will be anxiously monitoring the upcoming England-West Indies  (WI) Test and One Day International Series since our home team is in the rebuilding process.

However, the excitement is tempered by disgust at the level of the television coverage by the National Communica-tion Network (NCN) which holds the local franchise for the broadcast of the series via both television and radio.

Very often commercials are injected before the end of an over and NCN tries to squeeze two commercials between overs, resulting in loss of the live coverage. It is apparent that the staffers monitoring the relay are not familiar with the game. They should be instructed to study the professional manner in which the privately-owned National Television Network (NTN) relays matches.

We appreciate that NCN has an obligation to advertisers, but the state-owned station ought to realize that over-subscription of advertisements and shoddy coverage derogate from its duty to exercise its monopoly for the public benefit.

We recall the fiasco during the recent New Zealand series when the coverage was interrupted at delicate stages to carry the Lotto results and extended commercials. These could easily have been slotted in the break between innings.

Sponsors of the broadcast should also realize that their money is not well spent.  Members of the public view their advertisements with annoyance and are in no way persuaded to offer patronage to advertisers whose spot they irritably seek to wish away whenever they intrude on the coverage of play.  In no other country in which international matches are televised are viewers subjected to the shoddy treatment as repeatedly meted out to the Guyanese public by NCN.   I invite viewers to monitor the up-coming coverage by NCN and exercise their right to protest at the indifference and crass commercializing of our state network which puts viewers second.

We want to see Chanders, Ronnie and Chris wallop the bowlers − every ball of it. We want to see Edwards, Powell and the other quickies uproot the stumps − every ball of it.

It is time we enjoy cricket, lovely cricket.

Yours faithfully,
Mahadeo Panchu