YES, there are calls for more radio stations in Guyana, but would people listen? Many of us would agree that the number of radio listeners have diminished over the last few decades. Shane Rizwan Ally has once again appeared in these columns, attacking the cabal of announcers at the radio services of the National Communications Network (NCN). I don’t know who Shane Rizwan Ally is; whether it is a real person or not (I hear otherwise), but while radio here has its flaws (and it certainly does), the current state of affairs of radio in Guyana is just not near to what it should be given the resources and expertise that exist at NCN.
However, while all of the points raised a few days ago by Ally are indeed true, radio still fulfills its purpose even to the very small radio- listening public out there today. If anyone at the Communications department at the University of Guyana were worth a grain of their value, perhaps we’d have the results of a survey in our books and published in the media today as to the radio listening habits of the average Guyanese male or female, boy or girl.
Therefore, I have come to conjecture that much of the population does not listen to any form of radio anymore.
While I’m all for the further diverse expression of views and ideas, would it be economical, therefore, to establish more radio stations in such a small country where the chunk of the population utilise the television for entertainment and informative purposes, making the TV their ultimate choice of daily and evening entertainment?
I think, too, that persons like Ally ought to be a little more understanding and better address the issues at NCN radio in a befitting context. I can certainly add a few more shortcomings to what was mentioned but I have come to understand that the current generation of top- brass at NCN radio have their own ideology of what radio broadcasting is—totally different from that of the olden days (I was not even born yet).
More parents need to ensure that their children reach out for the radio, which has become widely accessible on the internet. NCN radio streams very reliably on the internet and I believe this is indeed commendable. What I would like to see (or rather hear) is Radio Roraima’s (RR) AM service be restored (or FM signal extended) and an availability of RR’s online streaming as well.
NCN has still retained a few veteran broadcasters and I believe they are able and experienced enough to train the younger broadcasters-in-the-making.
Young Ms Holladar (yes, I am not afraid to call names, unlike Ally) is a promising broadcaster even though much of the slip- ups (GTM’s time) mentioned by Ally, refer to her. Ms Gerard, though a dedicated announcer, does not have the voice to read news. She has a voice for late- night radio. News must—I insist!—should only be read by Ron Robinson, Franklin Langhorne, Oswald Singh, Michella Abraham Ally, or Andrea Joseph. These voices are deep and strong, for news.
I can hear the passion in Ms. Huburn’s voice for radio. It’s a pity she has been placed on the backburner as of recent. Keane, Ms Gerard and Mr. Cummings are good for late night listening.
Finally, I do not think in this day and age when NCN has several radio channels/frequencies that cricket, cricket shows, and other irregular programmes should interrupt the Voice of Guyana’s weeknight prime-time programmes. Please move these programmes, if necessary, to perhaps 98.1 FM, especially if they are musical in nature. Listeners look forward to, and enjoy wrapping up their day (or rather night) by listening to relaxing, soft, late night radio sounds—unquestionably some of the best in the world.