LET me confess that I was greatly touched by some profound statements former Zambia Motor Rally champion Muna Singh made when he took over Radio Christian Voice (RCV) airwaves last Thursday.
“The Trophies I won in motor rallying get rusted, but I was looking forward to getting a trophy that never got rust. If there is one thing I regret in my whole life is that I got to know the Lord late in my life, about seven years ago.
I wish I had known Christ earlier in my life, I could have done some things I did differently, it is, however, never too late to accept Jesus,” Muna said.
On the ‘Take Over’, a segment Choolwe Mweemba allows different invited guests tell their story and play their music between 07:30 and 08:00 hours, Muna was exceptional.
Brother Muna sounded more of a preacher and steady radio presenter throughout the show, leaving me to appreciate his commitment to the Word and what a multi-talented sports man he is.
Revelations that his day starts with a quiet moment of prayer followed by good breakfast with the family and love for vegetables further confirmed Muna’s other personality than just a motor rally champion.
Muna’s first choice of music was Blessed Assurance and he later signed off with Hill Songs’ ‘Mighty to Serve’.
It is good that RCV is back on air after weeks of intermittent broadcasting.  Take Over has previously featured Don Moen, Miracle Life Pastor Walker Schurz, MMD president Nevers Mumba, Police Inspector General Stella Libongani and Dennis Liwewe among others.
I feel ‘Take Over’ qualifies as one of the programmes different from the monotonous radio routines.
ZNBC
“This is Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, your public service broadcaster.” Radio fans hear ZNBC news casters recite this phrase before reading news.
Previously, ZNBC news casters would say; “This is ZNBC, your national broadcaster.”
I asked ZNBC’s Corporate Affairs and International Relations Manager Masuzyo Ndhlovu to explain what the new slogan meant, and he said; “The slogan is meant to delink ZNBC from the previous status of it being state broadcaster to that which is owned, services and answerable to the public.”
Masuzyo’s explanation was that the ZNBC ACT Chapter 154 of the laws of Zambia definition its functions as that of an institution being run on behalf of the people.
He said like the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) under which most radio stations in the world are modeled, ZNBC has fused in Swedish radio concepts of public service.
He further explained that, the ‘National broadcaster’ slogan was more of territorial marking and that the corporation feared that with Government issuing private broadcasting licenses, any other  private radio which could in future acquire national license would also be a ‘national broadcaster’ in territorial coverage.
I thought that was a brilliant explanation by Masuzyo who was by then in my village, Chilubi Island with Information Minister Mwansa Kapeya launching FM transmitters for Radios 1 and 2 improved receptions for my kith and kin.
I won’t mention the name of one presenter who, apart from the ‘ZNBC public service broadcaster’ slogan, last week went ahead and added that, “this is Lusaka calling.”
***
I was convinced a pastor I heard preach on ZNBC Radio 4 last Sunday morning was Nigerian. Going by his accent, pronunciations and an extreme laughter, I concluded he was not Zambian.
Alas! He was actually a Zambian trying to sound like Nigerian. I wondered why he couldn’t just be real.
PHOENIX
Remember Panji Banda from ‘Akale Kesu’ Saturday morning chit-chat show he presented with Blaze? I heard him last Sunday, this time around late evening playing disco oldies songs.
From my observation, Panji is better in the usual chats and presentation than him simply playing music alone.
***
At first I thought the song played by Chatewa Dominic on Radio Phoenix last Sunday was blasphemous, then, I searched for the lyrics herewith and concluded it was a confession song.
Find singer Thomas Rhett’s lyrics below and let me know what you think.
“Beer With Jesus”
If I could have a beer with Jesus
Heaven knows I’d sip it nice and slow
I’d try to pick a place that ain’t too crowded
Or gladly go wherever he wants to go

You can bet I’d order up a couple tall ones
Tell the waitress put ‘em on my tab
I’d be sure to let him do the talkin’
Careful when I got the chance to ask

How’d you turn the other cheek
To save a sorry soul like me
Do you hear the prayers I send
What happens when life ends
And when you think you’re comin’ back again
I’d tell everyone, but no one would believe it
If I could have a beer with Jesus

If I could have a beer with Jesus
I’d put my whole paycheck in that jukebox
Fill it up with nothing but the good stuff
Sit somewhere we couldn’t see a clock

Ask him how’d you turn the other cheek
To save a sorry soul like me
Have you been there from the start
How’d you change a sinner’s heart
And is heaven really just beyond the stars
I’d tell everyone, but no one would believe it
If I could have a beer with Jesus

He can probably only stay, for just a couple rounds
But I hope and pray he’s stayin’ till we shut the whole place down

Ask him how’d you turn the other cheek
To save a sorry soul like me
What’s on the other side?
Is mom and daddy alright?
And if it ain’t no trouble tell them I said hi
I’d tell everyone but no one would believe it
If I could have a beer with Jesus
I’d tell everyone but no one would believe it
If I could have a beer with Jesus

TIPS
Let’s take a look at the mixing panel.
The mixing panel, sometimes called the audio control desk, control console or dramatic control board, is the central feature of any studio cubicle. It may be a simple unit built by station engineers or a large professionally manufactured piece of equipment.
Its basic functions are: to switch and mix various sound sources, to master control the over-all gain, to measure the gain.
The sound sources are studio microphones, gramophone turntables, tape play-backs, line inputs from other studios, lines from outside broadcast points, echo and equalizer lines.
The mixing panel makes it possible to blend music and music, sound effects and music, music and speech, sound effects and speech, speech and speech and to feed the total programme output to a tape recorder or a transmission line.
The mixing controls are either rotary or sliding attenuators, familiarly called faders or pots (abbreviation for potentiometers).
Once the signals from the various sound sources have been mixed they pass as a combined signal to the master gain control, sometimes called the master fader, which is another attenuator.
Some control consoles have sub-masters.
This is another attenuator which makes it possible to group fade a number of sources simultaneously,
for example to fade a mix of two sound effects records and one music record behind a speaking voice by the use of one fader only-the sub-master.
Over-all control of the programme output is managed by the master gain control.
This control is ordinarily set at the beginning of the programme and not touched until the final fade-out or unless a board fade is required. It is bad practice to control sudden rises in volume by use of the master fader; the particular source fader should be used when this occurs.
The over-all gain or volume intensity of the programme is measured by a meter. In most production mixing panels a volume unit meter-VU meter -is used for this measurement. The VU meter responds rapidly to sudden rises in gain, and drops almost as rapidly.
By carefully watching the VU meter it is possible to anticipate rises. Another type of meter used in some panels is the Peak Programme Meter (PPM).
The PPM is an accurate meter for measuring real peaks in amplitude of an audio signal; it clearly indicates averages and is in consequence much favoured by engineers, although its slow fall time is a disadvantage in production work.

MULTICHOICE NEWS FLASH
Heroes of War: Poland
Sunday February 9, 2014 21:00 | HISTORY (186)
Heroes of War: Poland travels back to World War Two, a time when Polish people from all walks of life became freedom fighters, spies and code-breakers in a deadly battle with the Nazi forces.
The effect of years of Sovietera cover-ups and propaganda served to keep these incredible tales of bravery from a wider audience.
Now, these amazing tales of extraordinary heroism and sacrifice are finally emerging from the shadows.
With access to the few remaining eyewitnesses, and to newly-released documents and archive footage, this series of five films will bear testament to the bravery of these Polish heroes of war.
Watch Heroes of War: Poland on Sunday February 9, at 21:00 on History.
Grassroots
Sunday February 9, 2014 11:00  Rhema TV (343)
Angus Buchan returns to the core of Christianity in his weekly sermon, Grassroots.
He explains how living according to the Word of God will change your life when you follow the simple basics of the Bible.
Buchan, a former full-time farmer, turned his life around after accepting Christ.
He has sold thousands of copies of Faith Like Potatoes, his book based on his personal life and relationship with God.
Tune in to Grassroots on Sunday February 9, 2014 at 11:00 on Rhema.
For comments, observations and contributions; jackmwewa@gmail.com – 0955115777