Dear Editor,
Well, thanks to National Communications Network Incorporated (NCN) for honouring the wishes of avid radio listeners—both at home here and overseas—by bringing back reliable audio web streaming of their Voice of Guyana. There still needs to be much monitoring of the web streams of VOG so that it can resume immediately after being taken off their air while cricket is being played, instead of days of ‘dead air’ online.
You see, I have come to an understanding that Guyana radio has come a far way decades before I was even born. Does today younger generation listen to Guyana radio? Or has the nonsense that they torture their ears with on a daily basis taken them over?
But I remember my dad and me in our hammock in the verandah when I was small, listening to short wave news from one of the Caribbean islands (Radio Grenada I think it was), on a radio, which was fitted in a black case with a strap. I remember listening carefully to the radio as a youth for the birthday greetings my aunt in Suriname would usually send every year on Suriname radio (Radio Rani which no longer exists), which we would hear clearly in Canje.
There are so many great programmes today airing on NCN Radio though, it makes a radio award show seem fitting to reward the efforts of stalwart broadcasters, producers and even the listeners who make it their daily or weekly duty to tune in.
There is, after all—as Franklin Langhorne so often reiterates—the relationship between broadcaster and listener.
Last evening (Tuesday) my mom stayed up beyond the midnight hour and listened to song after song played by none other than Mr Langhorne. Every song had significance for her, especially as it relates to my dad. “That was his song,” she would relate to me shortly after it would start play. “It has been a while since I’ve heard this one,” she’d tell me; “Brings back so much memory.” Of course, I do not know what’s going through her mind, I could only relate the type of music I find nostalgic today to the kind that takes back both her and dad to the younger years. Have people out there discovered the good things good music can do to one’s mind and heart and soul?
I’ve heard announcers say often that it’s a pity those songs were just over two minutes and not longer, since it seemed a custom for those oldies to be just under three minutes, even less.
If I had to give an award for best late-night musical programme on radio, then it would be ‘The Triple M Show.’ My mom listened to the theme the other night and was shocked as the show kept its theme that was so many years old.
It’s an old programme and still exists today on radio—so nice! Langhorne puts so much into what he does, as he poetizes the songs and mediates between listener and songwriter.
He does such a great job, and does not just sit back and let the music play, even though sometimes that is not too bad.
‘Doctor on Call,’ I see, has resumed, and I applaud the management for bringing Mr Stan Horne’s expertise and knowledge to the programme. I find this move very good on management’s behalf. Of course, that show would win for best primetime programme (informative) on radio. ‘A Better World’ wins in the best daytime show (informative) on radio, as Andrea Joseph does a very good job in her arena.
This time- slot—even while it was ‘For Family and Friends’—was dedicated to the home, family and human relationships. Oswald Singh’s ‘Breakfast Show’ would win for best morning programme, for all the obvious reasons. This show has always been an informative and interactive instrument in the life of every radio- listening Guyanese. Features such as ‘Road Safety Talk,’ ‘From Word to Word,’ ‘Community Call,’ etc, have been around for decades.
For best Indian musical programme, I’d award the accolade to ‘Indian Memory Album’; VOG’s ‘Music to Remember,’ ‘Soundsational’ and ‘Straight from the Heart’ all tie for best English musical programme. ‘Feedback’ with Mr Vibert Parvatan ties with best Saturday night programme and scores with ‘Party Time’ on VOG. ‘Sunday’s Choice’ is one of those programmes that takes you on a nostalgic getaway too, so similar to much of the music played on Guyana radio. Kudos guys!
I would have totally supported an award for best local weekday feature to ‘From Word to Word,’ but since it began airing a few months or so ago ‘Health Word’ with Stan Horne takes away the accolade.
The award for best interactive radio show needs to go to ‘The Afternoon Request Show.’ And I have not forgotten Basil Persaud’s show on Sunday evenings.
His show receives the award for best variety music show on radio. ‘A Sunday Kind of Love’ is very good as well.
Best Sunday daytime programme goes to the fabulous Mr Fredrick Rampersaud’s ‘Music Straight from the Heart’ on 98.1 FM. Technical difficulties, one Saturday, prevented ‘Feedback’ from being aired, but Mr Langhorne substituted well enough, being an experienced broadcaster and all. But I am sure the radio station has archived programmes that they could air whenever a current episode of a programme is not available. I know GBC had a well-stocked library.
Now let’s talk about the announcers. Radio’s award for announcer of the year should be given to one who enjoys what he or she does. You can hear it in their voices as they broadcast on the air. The passion is there; you can hear it.
They resonate well with their listeners; they exhibit that closeness and relationship between broadcaster and listener. No person other than Mr Franklin Langhorne deserves that award. Of course, he receives stiff competition from the likes of Basil Persaud (he knows his music), Keane McRae (she’s very good too), Ron Robinson (radio legend whom I hear used to ‘ping’ people out of their beds not too long ago) and Oswald Singh (with a morning voice that can wake up the nation). The other announcers need to brush up on their language and grammar delivery as well as speech enunciation.
I would have given an award for best local documentary series to ‘Talking About Education,’ but this programme has not been airing, and it should. Guyana radio has not changed, and that’s not bad at all to some extent. There is still a high dependence on programmes and news from the BBC. After all, we were a nation under British rule for quite some time. They still link with the BBC World Service at midnight.
I miss Radio Roraima and what it used to be. ‘Quiz Catch’ among other very good shows died along with the closure of the channel a few years ago. We are teased with it being back on the air and broadcasting over 3,000 watts of power. Sadly, not even boasting about 3,000 watts of power can bring ‘Double R’ to Berbice once more. Guyanese love radio.
It has been part of the Guyanese experience from time immemorial, embedded in our psyche. Even though the choices may be limited, radio is surely alive here.
Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran
