ONCE  again, some readers found a portion from last week’s write-up interesting. Here is what we reported:
“It was clear that most radio listeners did not understand what Republican President Edgar Lungu meant when he addressed the nation and invoked Article 31 of the Constitution.
“Following these happenings, Cabinet decided to invoke Article 31 because if left unchecked can result in public emergency,” Mr Lungu said.
According to Article 31 (1), the President may at any time by the proclamation published in the Gazette declare that a situation exists which, if allowed to continue, may lead to a state of public emergency.
When everyone else wondered what that proclamation meant, Radio Phoenix’s Luchi was on point to bring a lawyer, Francis Kapijimpanga, to clarify the matter.
Luchi must be commended for not only doing what radio stations are expected to do – fulfilling its traditional mandate of educating listeners, but was also timely.
Like we have said before, radio is supposed to be an agent that should be beneficial to the listeners by offering valuable information.
Sad that most radio stations have been turned into chatterboxes where childish presenters yap, yap, yap without making meaningful sense.”
Readers then reacted as below:
Mr Donald Bwalya from Ndola wrote: “Jack, I have just read your Sunday July 9 article. The last paragraph has really echoed my feeling on this, yes I feel very irritated by those chatterboxes where childish presenters yap yap yap without making any sense.
I should further say that most radio stations on the scene now are devoid of educating, informing and entertaining listeners meaningfully.
Gladness Nsanzya wrote from Lusaka saying: “Mr Mwewa, your sentiments in last week’s column about some childish radio presenters was spot on. True to your word,  radio is supposed to be an agent that should be beneficial to the listeners by offering valuable information.
I, however, know why most radio stations are failing to measure up to the standards of broadcasting demands, which is lack of training.
Radio, like any other profession, requires properly trained and qualified personnel for it to function professionally.
I maybe right to note that a good number of radio stations have chosen a shortcut to recruiting staff without any broadcasting background and experience at all.
These are people who, firstly, have no guideline on what they ought to do once on radio and, secondly, get excited to be seemingly talking to the world.
I believe that a trained broadcaster would know what to say, how to say certain things, obviously being guided by ethics.”
From the aforesaid letters, it is clear that listeners are getting a raw deal, only that they may not have a platform on which to express their views.
RCV
At a time when Zambia needs serious commitment to God in the wake of what has been happening lately, Radio Christian Voice (RCV) has continued to fulfill its mission well.
When most radio stations are airing programmes to their benefit, regardless of content, RCV has dedicated a late-night programme to simply PRAY for the nation.
As late as midnight and beyond, RCV goes into serious prayers, interceding for leadership, opposition and the entire citizenry.
On the programme dubbed ‘The Watchman’, RCV is joined by other concerned listeners asking God to forgive, heal and guide the nation.
What could be a timely intervention and solemn commitment for a radio station that knows its mandate, charge and commission?
RCV also has yet another significant programme dubbed ‘Focus on the family’, an important programme targeting the family.
Family, being the most affected in today’s decayed society, needs to be addressed earnestly as presented on RCV.
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Chatewa Dominic always has exciting topics on ‘Chat Back’, the recent one about churches branding their signage (posters) with pictures of pastors and their spouses got listeners talking.
The topic was whether it is right for churches to brand their posters with portraits of pastors and spouses? As expected, listeners took turns giving their side of understanding on the matter, most of them disapproving the trend.
Those who disapproved thought that the trend gave an impression that the Church belonged to people whose portraits appeared on the signage.
The truth is that since Christ is head of the Church, putting any other portrait on Church posters could be misleading.
DUO
By now, most radio listeners have gotten familiar with some co-presenters in the pairs of say, Luchi and Roxy on Radio Phoenix, Dario and Choolwe on RCV.
Coincidentally, it happened that Luchi went it all alone without Roxy and on the other hand, Dario was without Choolwe.
The respective guys sounded so lonely without their partners to the extent that listeners wondered whether they were listening to the right programmes, such is how they branded their respective breakfast shows.
Stay tuned, if you can. jackmwewa@gmail.com -0955115777