SOME radio listeners expose their ignorance by asking irrelevant questions on live phone-in programmes on radio.
We are not talking about the language used because not all callers may have the grace of speaking good English, but it is the logic in some questions that leaves much to be desired.
As late Matteo Phiri would say, ‘Kufunsa sibalesa, manje, kafunsidwe’ to mean that (There is nothing wrong in asking questions, but it is the manner in which one asks that matters).
Most radio stations have no problems with callers who ask questions in vernacular language, the issue is the substance in those questions.
Take for instance two respective questions that have always come up whenever, say, United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema appears on any radio station and Movement for Multiparty Democracy’s Nevers Mumba.
The question to Mr Hichilema is that he benefited from the privatisation of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines while Dr Mumba is always queried as to why he left the pulpit.
The two politicians have labored to explain themselves several times, yet some callers keep repeating the same questions all the time.
Mr Hichilema’s answer to whether he benefited from the sale of the mines is that he only played the role of an evaluator, while Dr Mumba has repeatedly cited men in the Bible who served in civic governance, he has further said that as many Christians joined politics, then, will a dirty game tag be erased from politics.
Patriotic Front deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri has forever been responding to the question about her, having fought with somebody at Parliament years back.
Ardent radio fans have heard the explanations given by the politicians every time they are asked on live phone-in radio programmes, let those who call, at least, ask different relevant questions.
Suffice to say that there, however, are callers who are so logical, impartial and clear in their contributions no matter what language they use.
We can confidently mention people like Konoso who contribute positively in a well coordinated manner, and still does whenever he phones to a live phone-in programme.
SUN FM
As expected, one of the stories in this publication last week raised eyebrows and was a hot topic on Sun FM Radio’s Press Review discussion.
It is an article revealing that five famous local artistes have been implicated in the recent ritual killing of four men in Lusaka’s George Township.
According to sources, one of them a musician, the body parts are meant for a mass human sacrifice in a named neighbouring country where most Zambian local celebrities go to attain fame.
Three of the named popular musicians linked to the alleged ritual killings have since been released after being detained for more than five days in different police stations.
Boy oh boy! This story raised talk on radio, some disputing that it was not true with others agreeing.
PHOENIX
A report by Nampande Phiri on deforestation which ran for about four minutes on Radio Phoenix news last Friday was rather long.
In that sound bite, Nampande was reporting about excessive use of charcoal in the wake of persistent load shedding, which was the first item on the news.
The report sounded like a documentary rather than a news item, this is because the reporter went on detailing the effects of load shedding on trees.
RCV
It is actually Kafula who presents Zbeats on Radio Christian Voice (RCV) every Tuesdays at 14:00 hours, another Copperbelt gospel artiste Stanslous was live on air last week.
FOOLS’ DAYS
You can not fool radio listeners, no, you can’t! One radio presenter cracked what he thought was a joke on April 1, 2016, obviously taking it that it was ‘Fools Day’.
Sadly, the man let the joke pass without reversing it that it was actually a ‘Fools Day’, like that, a good number of listeners were ‘fooled’.
CORRUPT DEEJAYS
Last week’s column about Radio Deejays in the habit of receiving bribes from artistes for them to play their music attracted reactions.
“Dear, Jack
I could not believe the levels of corruption in our country following revelations in your article last week, not too long ago, we read in the press that some boxers were subjected to bribing coaches in order for them to make final selection.
There are also similar allegations in our beautiful game football where deserving players are left out of selection in preference for those who bribe coaches.
Then, we hear some aspiring political candidates are paying huge sums of money to district, provincial and national officials to be selected as candidates in the forth-coming general elections.
Nowwe hear that the music industry is not spared, to the extent that artistes bribe Deejays in order to have their music play.
My conclusion is that it will be difficult for Zambia to positively develop if we have wrong people in places where they are not supposed to be at the expense of deserving ones.”
Jairos Kipumbu
Kalulushi
***
“Dear Jack,
Kindly with hold my name. I want to agree with that artiste who said some, and not all Radio Deejays receive bribes from artistes so that they can be playing their songs every time they are on air.
I am an artiste myself and I know the outspoken singer you were referred to, in your last article.
I can testify that on one a certain radio station, a Deejay was bribed as usual to play an artiste’s newly released song.
The other Deejay refused to play the same song when it was requested for by a caller, though he gave an excuse for not playing the song, he was heard by other staff at the radio station saying he would not play the particular song until he was also given a cut of the bribe.
ANONYMOUS

Stay tuned, don’t touch that dial! – jackmwewa@gmail.com   0955115777