Editor,
Many times in the past, especially during 2015, avid listeners of AIR Shillong radio programmes broadcast through the 864 kilohertz channel, informed me that on some Sundays the regular transmission/programme format was violated without even a word of apology. At first it was presumed that this was due to the vagaries of individual radio receivers or technical faults. However, on February 28, 2016, a concerned listener rang me up at 0620 hours to say that the deviation from the regular format of the radio programme is more than meets the eye. Right from 0600 hrs on that day when the Shillong station of AIR began its progamme, there was no announcement to identify itself as done every day till now. Instead, without even the usual Vande Mataram, the programme schedule was announced in Hindi without identification of either the radio station or the title of the programmes scheduled for that morning. After the announcement of the programme schedule in Hindi for the day (?) instrumental music was played without introducing the programme.
I also switched on my radio to listen to the programme. This went on and on until 0750 hrs when the routine Khasi news was supposed to be read, but, instead, there was announcement in Hindi followed by something else in Hindi and again by instrumental music without live announcement until 0850 hrs when there was a semblance of returning to the usual morning schedule. This was followed by news in Hindi at 0800 hrs and the news in English at 0815 hrs. But, after the news in English there was no North-east news; instead, an unscheduled programme was heard which at about 0850 hrs was abruptly followed by music at the tail end of the usual Sunday programme of songs of praise in Khasi. The lady announcer who took over at this stage did not express apology for the arbitrary change of programme.
The unscheduled programme on this 864 Khz channel from 0600 to 0750 hrs and from 0830 to 0850 hrs needs to be explained by the AIR authorities. Since this kind of unscheduled broadcast by cancelling the scheduled ones without warning or apology had happened before during 2015 without having been detected and explained, it is assumed that there is indiscipline at the studio, at these times. One gets the impression that there is a lackadaisical attitude on the part of the programme officer and that the supervisory authorities had failed to exercise their authority over their employees. It also points to the lack of monitoring of the broadcasts by the superior officers appointed to supervise the services offered to listeners. It seems unlikely that there are any monitoring stations in the country to prevent frequency and power deviation by any broadcasting service (s). On some days the broadcast from Calcutta MW transmission is so powerful as to drown out the low power transmission from AIR Shillong so that it appears as if the Calcutta station is also transmitting at the frequency of 864 Khz. This sort of thing ought to be properly explained. It is suggested that contact numbers may be publicized to enable listeners to report poor reception and other interference like suspected frequency deviation either by the Shillong transmitter or from other stations broadcasting on frequencies adjacent to the Shillong 864 Khz station.
I hope the AIR authorities could consider these suggestions and publicise their views and proposed action to inform the public. After all this ia a public broadcasting station!
Yours etc.,
Morning Star Sumer,
Shillong – 2
Ban on the fourth estate
Editor,
For the past few month all type and textures of media in Meghalaya have been barred from reporting any bandh related news called by the agitational groups of different hues in the wake of the directive issued by the Meghalaya High Court. For such radical proceedings, our Hon’ble High Court ought to earn kudos since the latter perhaps believes that the culture of bandhs has become a hindrance to freedom of movement in pursuit of one’s livelihood. The law abiding folks must have heaved a sigh of immense relief given that henceforth they can go about their normal chores or fully participate on in Independence Day or Republic Day etc., with gay abandon and without an iota of fear as in the past years, thereby ending the good days with pop concerts at vantage locations like Khyndai Lad organized by our famous local artistes for good measure. Hence, our local dailies, English and Vernacular, have blanked out news regarding bandh calls announced by assorted factions of militant groups etc; I thought that henceforth I shall never come across the term: “Bandh” as far as Meghalaya is concerned.
However, on January 24th last, I noticed in one of the national dailies, a news report which read thus: ‘NE rebels give R- Day boycott call,’ thereby informing an inquisitive reader like me about the United National Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW), which, inter alia conspicuously includes our HNLC and GNLA, jointly announcing a boycott of RD celebrations and a bandh in the entire North East. In such a bewildering context a gullible person might query why the other media of our country could not care less about an order passed by the Meghalaya High Court. He/she may further be led to believe that perhaps the media houses of the rest of India are keenly aware of the rights and freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution under Article 19 (i). Or perhaps our local media establishments are perceptive enough not to violate Article 19 (ii) of the Constitution where such freedom of expression is per se not absolute: Either way, the media fraternity of Meghalaya might perhaps, just perhaps, be nostalgically recalling in their sub-consciousness what a world of difference has turned out to be preceding the year 2013 when our capital was just a Shillong Bench of the Hon’ble Gauhati High Court !
Yours etc.,
Jerome Diengdoh
Shillong- 2