AMONG some resolutions people made for this new year, where absurd for discussion on air. Imagine a woman who is not married resolving to have a baby.
As listeners made contributions as to what they intended to achieve in the new year, a lady listener phoned through and declared her resolution to have a baby even when she has no husband.
Some topics are not supposed to be discussed in public, comments that followed that resolution where not only shameful, but left other listeners wonder how immorality could be discussed on radio without shame.
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Listening to some reformed musicians explain their newly found affection in Christ, one may conclude they are more committed and proud Christians.
On the other hand, some seasoned gospel artistes seem to have continued to drift away from their first commitment to commercializing their talent.
It is not a secret that most renowned gospel artistes have little to show off their Christianity in songs and dance, yet those who sang secular music but now sing gospel have touching testimonies.
Maybe exposing the newly reformed artistes to public functions would make a difference from the same old voices we have heard over the years.
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You can imagine a recorded broadcast with midnight timings and played the following morning with the same time checks.
Something like a radio presenter reminding listeners of the time being 22:15 hours at 09:00 hours in the morning.
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Soccer fans know by now who the best footballer of the year in the Zambian league is, Zanaco’s Ziyo Tembo got it.
With that settled, one wonders why one radio station has kept calling on listeners for submissions to vote for the 2016 footballer of the year.
Looking back …
This week we submit selected items that made headlines in the past year.
The co-presenter …
The advent of duo presentation on most radio stations came has good initiative for both the presenters and other stake holders (radio owners and listeners) so far, at least going by the jokes and vibes that go on among all players.
Maybe concern need to be shared about one presenter who steal the show by talking to much without regard for, or giving chance to the co presenter, reducing him/her to a guest.
It has been said on this forum before that the idea of co-presentation is simply to spice up the programme and ‘sharing’ the load or fun.
The normal principle of two people conversing where one listens without talking as the other speaks still apply, otherwise somebody once joked that man was created with two ears and one mouth that they listen more than talking.
Defining co-presenters
Then Daniel Sikazwe, a former Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation staff, a natural broadcaster responded to topic on co-presenters, his rich observation is worth reproducing as below.
“Jack, I hope you are well. I read your Radio Review column of November 6, 2016 in which you focused on the use of two presenters – a common feature on radio stations in Zambia today.
Your concern about the presence of one of the presenters who steals the thunder from a co-presenter by talking too much is a generic management problem that arises from the fact that radio station managers may not be paying attention to the qualities or traits of their presenters in order to provide audiences with presentation partnerships that can deliver quality listening.
In radio there are two types of presenters; the generator and the reactor. The generator is a highly creative person with a personality that sparkles with imagination.
He/she comes up with ideas, jokes, comments that are intelligent and worth listening to at lightning speed through intense observation and attention to detail. Such a person is likely to be extroverted and excitingly verbal.
On the other hand, the reactor is equally gifted but has the rare quality of making good, magnifying and beautifying the instantaneous and spontaneous thoughts and ideas of the generator.
The reactor needs the generator as his/her stimulus. Such a person is likely to be rather introverted, given to more listening and speaking with clarity confidence and making the show as well as the co-presenter sound intelligent.
A good duo presentation must pair a reactor and a generator. If two generators or two reactors are paired, they cancel each other. In the case of two generators together, you have one of them out-talking the other. When two reactors are put together, for the lack of a stimulus, you might get lots of silent moments as of those that happen in a conversation between two shy unimaginative people.
It is the responsibility of managers, producers or programme directors to ensure the pairing of presenters is based on the personalities and creativity of the persons.
One more thing Jack, how about changing the STAY TUNED, DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL to STAY TUNED ( IF YOU CAN) because listeners today cannot be commanded, they can only be respected and persuaded.
In addition, “don’t touch that dial” is a cliche from the 1940’s to the mid 1990’s when all radio sets had dials. Imagine somebody listening to radio online, on their mobile phone, through television, digital radio or satellite radio.”
Stay tuned, if you can! – jackmwewa@gmail.com   0955115777