THOSE who have heard Felix Banda, better known as Galamukani speak either on Radio or Television will agree that he is a pleasant speaker to listen to.
Three attributes qualify Galamukani as a speaker worth listening to for as long as he speaks, these are; voice, coherence and logic.
Galamukani has a clear audible voice that comes out naturally through the airwaves, he also has excellent thought coherence and pattern of speech and packages whatever he utters with a lot of sense.
Before we even delve into that rare innovation of breaking routine programming on radio, if Galamukani’s attributes are critical for radio broadcast, then short of them can be disadvantageous to those who speak on radio.
By such a measure, one would say that it is prudent to ensure that those who are featured on radio as, either guests or presenters at least meet one of those attributes.
Let those who speak on radio be logical in whatever they say, let them not mumble words but run clear sentences listeners will understand without labouring.
Once again, it is always refreshing to hear something different on the Zambian radio which has been dominated by music, phone-in programmes and sermons.
On that New Generation programme, hosted by Mutandazo Masango, Galamukani awakened most listeners’ interests to be focused in whatever they intend to do.
Galamukani could have been presenting things listeners have heard over and over again on radio, but it is the manner he comes out that makes him a radio-friendly speaker. He is confident, loud, clear and always at ease.
PHOENIX
A lot is happening on Radio Phoenix, one of which is Breakfast with Luchi and Roxy where the duo would play a song and ask listeners to phone-in and sing a portion of that particular song in vernacular.
You can imagine a caller trying to sing, say, Bob Marley’s ‘Is this Love’ song in ci-Tumbuka? How hilarious is that!
“Is This Love”
I wanna love you and treat you right;
I wanna love you every day and every night:
We’ll be together with a roof right over our heads;
We’ll share the shelter of my single bed;
We’ll share the same room, yeah! – for Jah provide the bread.
Is this love – is this love – is this love –
Is this love that I’m feelin’?
Is this love – is this love – is this love –
Is this love that I’m feeling’?
I wanna know – wanna know – wanna know now!
I got to know – got to know – got to know now!
This exercise done in the morning brightens up those who try to sing out the lyrics and also forces smiles on those tuned in to listen.
What can be a better way of waking up listeners apart from such initiatives, and others like the quiz which are tailored to provoke listeners’ minds from slumber?
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Panji Banda’s Saturday morning presentation of ‘Akale Kesu’ is never short of captivating reminiscence in both comments and songs.
This is another exceptional presentation, at least something different from what every other presenter lines up.
In last week’s presentation, Panji tried to remember what names were given for some construction machinery in ci-Bemba; Grader, Roll loader, Excavator Dump Truck and others.
MISA
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia chapter held a Radio Indaba in Lusaka to discuss issues affecting radio in Zambia.
One would have definitely been attracted to listen to seasoned broadcasters and radio administrators with hands-on experience like Ben Kangwa, Rosemary Konkola and Daniel Sikazwe who were among the invited speakers.
Radio broadcasting, it being a live day-to-day experience can best be taught by people who have practised it before.
BREEZE FM – Kamphepo ka yazi yazi
We lift up news affecting some radio station from Breeze FM in Chipata that; the radio industry has not been spared by the current power load-shedding crisis in Zambia.
The concern came to light during the MISA Zambia Radio Indaba 2015, held in Lusaka.
Breeze FM staffer, Juliana Banda, reported that MISA Zambia, Chairperson, Helen Mwale said operational costs for all radio stations have immensely gone up due to power load-shedding.
Ms Mwale said due to the high cost of running radio, some radio stations have been forced to shut down or to bear the high costs at the expense of incurring business losses.
She appealed to Government to consider reducing duty on generators and transmitters among other equipment if the impact was to lessen in the radio industry.
Ms Mwale also charged that due to limited resources, community radio stations were facing serious sustainability challenges, such as failure to train staff, failure to attract qualified personnel, failure to maintain and buy improved equipment.
Ms Mwale further said political threats and interference have continued to make it even more difficult for radio stations to operate more effectively in Zambia.
She implored radio stations to continue being resilient as they carry out their mandate of informing the citizens.
Stay tuned, don’t touch that dial! – jackmwewa@gmail.com   0955115777