Dear Editor,
With a ground-breaking decision recently on the radio monopoly in Guyana still fresh in everyone’s minds, it might still be a while before private radio stations come on the scene in Guyana. Until then, many of our veteran broadcasters, who are still around in Guyana, (sadly) doing other jobs, might then be encouraged to go back on the air. Their voices are missed. Many persons commented about my previous letter by asking the question who listens to radio these days? They do have a point. With the advent and advancement of television and computers also cell phones, who’s got time to switch on the radio right? I believe the art form of ‘listening’ has been wasted away and is dying in our society. That is why many of our children cannot do well in school and in the various spheres of learning and life in general. Listening is a very important skill which everyone can become involved in—and radio can be a tool to do just that. Sadly, though, our youths today are ‘listening’ to other voices and other things.
I would like to see some progress in the parliament to once and for all to address the broadcast legislation. Poor Mr Vieira, only after he left our shores, (after selling out his station) and years after he was literally forced off the airwaves, has he finally received justice. That being said I still write that justice delayed is justice denied. Delaying all radio licence applicants over the years and the suspension of the receipt of more applications at this time is a slap in the face of freedom of the press. The ruling should’ve sought the resignations of those implicated in the injustice to the silencing of our airwaves and the greed resulting in preventing private individuals from utilizing the electro-magnetic spectrum. The thick smokescreen being put up by the government about an inadequate framework available for the establishment and granting of more radio licences is just that—a poor and sorry excuse! The radio station applicants, I am sure, are willing to privately fund their own ventures; they’re not depending on funds from either the government or the National Frequency Management Unit.
Just imagine a small island like Trinidad having over eighteen radio stations. The radio spectrum is a free entity that is regulated by the government. They lease the spectrum to potential individuals wishing to operate radio stations. The spectrum is big enough for sixty radio stations. Just look at other countries. Let us have a variety of radio stations in Guyana. Yes, of course licences wouldn’t be granted willy-nilly; however, the sixty applications pending currently at the NFMU is an expression of the noose which has been tied tight on the necks of Guyanese wishing to establish private radio entities. Now that noose has slackened a bit.
In the meanwhile though, we still have to put up with NCN Radio. They are really trying. But more work should be done to allow all Guyanese to access the radio station especially on their website which keeps going on and off, sometimes for days long. Whether the telephone company or NCN is to be blamed for the radio streaming problem, I could care less. Just satisfy your first and foremost criterion of a radio station: to be heard by all people at all times of the day. Please rectify the problem on your website NCN. Guyanese and other people should not be forced to pay money to listen to VOG and 98.1 FM on JumpTV’s website. Right now I am listening to ‘Monday Moods’ on 98.1 and two things are ticking me off: the deejay is talking too much and the music is ‘skipping’ (the NCN website’s fault). I don’t have a problem with promoting businesses on radio but 98.1 FM hosts and deejays in general need to revamp the way they play commercials and they also talk more than the songs being played. It’s unfair to listeners especially if they talk through an entire song. On some evening programmes on both VOG and 98.1 FM, the hosts are doing on-air advertising of companies and also reading out prices for products. Come on, this shouldn’t be happening on the air. More music and less talk please. And please, Monday Moods host, it is not radio-like to have your cell phone ringing on the air or beeping like it needs charging. Some of the DJ’ing and music (dub ‘watchamacallit’ trash) leaves so much to be desired. As my father told me the other day, many persons are turning to the classics and oldies music for their listening pleasure more and more everyday. He is right.
So, has radio suffered a further death in the past years since NCN came on the scene? With the loss of numerous veteran broadcasters and much-loved programmes, the answer might very well be yes. Radio in Guyana has been diluted, stripped bare of all that was good and loving and entertaining about its operation and impact on the lives of Guyanese prior to its “destruction” and advancement of television. I will conclude my series on that thesis in a subsequent correspondence. The details might surprise and, I am sure, will bring back evocative memories to many.
Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran
