JULIUS Phiri, a Times of Zambia staffer from Chipata wrote that Breeze FM radio station received praise for the role it played during the just-ended general elections.
He said that Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) regional coordinator, Eunice Mwenge recognised the important role the radio station played in educating people on various election issues and the referendum.
Ms Mwenge is said to have also noted that Breeze FM offered an opportunity to candidates who vied for offices regardless of their political affiliation.
Among the tenets of promoting unbiased reporting, it is important for radio stations to strive offering platform to different players for them to sale their messages.
Even in the wake of declarations that, “he who pays the piper calls for the tune,” broadcasting stations have the right to reject paid for advertisements that may injure others.
It is not too long ago when we reported that fair radio coverage is premised on the fact that any story being featured or quoted is heard by millions of listeners, it is only fair that the other side is heard also.
We further made reference to every citizen’s right to privacy and as such, it is important that personalities being discussed on radio are protected against persona attack. Privacy is about respecting individuals.
If Breeze FM met all such requirements noted by FODEP, we can only urge other community radio stations to stick to professionalism.
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Hearing Jack Mwale take over the airwaves on ZNBC Radio Four refreshes minds of many listeners to quality broadcasting.
He justifiably introduces himself as ‘The hot stepper’, and would declare his presence on air as ‘The Jack Attack’ as he ‘arrests’ listeners’ attention.
Everyone listening to Jack’s presentation would agree to his masterly on the airwaves that we don’t seem to hear often.
Mwale sounds relaxed and in control whenever he goes on air, one can distinguish the difference between him and a horde of upcoming broadcasters that have swarmed radio stations.
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You can just imagine the eyebrows one broadcaster raised when she read that United Party for National Development (UPND) had filled in nominations, instead of filling in petition?
Obviously, with such a slip up, listeners could have wondered as to whether there were fresh nominations.
Credit, however, goes to the said newscaster by correcting the earlier slip up when she subsequently read it correctly.
In the heat of the political debate raging in the country at the moment, it would have been a grave mistake not to clarify the error.
SUN FM
On the afternoon of Tuesday August 22, 2016, Curtis K Slimar was promoting Ethiopian Airlines on Sun FM, but was smart enough to switch from the airline presentation to traffic watch.
It was such an innovative switch that reflected the presenter’s instant ingenuity that rhymed well on the show.
He went like; “Having flown in the airspace with Ethiopian Airlines, let us come down on the round and see how traffic is flowing.”
We have heard Traffic Watch presentations on most radio stations across the country, most of them come short of flair.
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In this column we reported that; “While presenting a rhumba music show, one radio deejay misled listeners when he said musicians from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) prefer trekking to France because it was near.
He went like; “I wonder why musicians from DRC like going to France, maybe it’s because it’s near.”
Obviously, some listeners know that France and DRC are many, many miles far apart and the reason DRC artistes find it easy to relocate to Paris has something to do with the ties the two countries have enjoyed.
One of our valued readers Sampa from Kitwe corrected us and wrote; “ Hi Jack, I enjoy reading your Radio Review column and is one of the reasons I buy a copy of the Sunday Times, one correction though is that DRC was colonised by Belguim and not France.”
Stay tuned, don’t touch that dial! – jackmwewa@gmail.com 0955115777