Dear Editor,
The late “iconic broadcaster” Rafiq Khan who died on Oct 10th in Jamaica was showered with fitting and well deserved praises by colleagues and fellow broadcasters as indeed he was held in high esteem within the broadcasting/communication arena. Their flourishing and gracious tributes bear testimony to his stature and colourful appellations affixed to him: “icon” “consummate-broadcaster”, “broadcaster extraordinaire”, “Past Master”, “Legend” etc.
On the day of his passing or maybe the following day I heard an interview with him on the radio where he was asked about the quality of performance of young broadcasters today as compared to his time. If I recall well, he was very frank but cleverly conceded that it wasn’t top notch and that there is room for much improvement. He was very cautious and stopped short of stoning them as he made a keen observation which he thought was a contributing factor very germane to the issue, which must be looked at critically in seeking corrective measures.
He noted with all . . “seriousness that we are selecting and training the brightest from among us, so how can we fault them”, and because of not having enough time he wasn’t able to delve further with a thorough and detailed explanation.
And I liked his approach. For if you ask me, I say there are NCN radio announcers on both sides-the young and not so young – who are endeavouring to do their very best, trying like hell! That I really admire; whatever is amiss, whatever their achilles heel should not be long in correcting. Where are the stalwarts from that glorious era? I’m sure there is still a sprinkling from that constellation around who can be solicited, having the “young guns” drawing on and benefiting from their expertise-that’s no big deal! To boot many of these young broadcasters I think are clever, quick on the up-take. Anyways I’m paying attention to what the late “master of the game” had to say. As a follow on I want to highlight some other serious concerns on this very same subject; the question of quality/standard of broadcasting commented on by Rafiq Khan as was reported in the Stabroek News Oct 11th “Pioneering broadcaster Rafiq Khan dies”. Here he wasn’t “pulling punches”, the gloves were off as he delivered the Obituary at “the passing of another renowned former radio figure Terry Holder”.
“Terry Holder, among the last holdouts from an era when standards really mattered, lamented what had become of his beloved Country as a whole…..”
“Is anyone even noticing that the philistines are taking over our city and our country? Even in the elegant avenue where Terry and I last lived, I see the philistines rising”
“How long will we ignore our prophets? When will we gather the collective will to stand behind them and say: Enough?”
“…………… that Holder had been passionate about the disintegration of standards and feared that they might be beyond reclaim…”
“He feared that the mediocrity of yesterday had become the excellence of today …..”
“The question therefore becomes: How can a generation that has embraced degraded values be made to recognise perennial excellence?”
These are some serious questions – no playing and quite a mouthful from someone who once knew “where it’s at”. Can we have a word from a protege of the deceased maestro.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe