MAR 13

Media Consultant Troy Garvey has defined broadcasting as much more than playing records on the airwaves.

He told a workshop of broadcasters and announcers at the Tropicana Conference Room last Saturday that, he is not satisfied with the quality of programmes he is hearing on the airwaves within recent times.

Garvey, who heads the communications consultant firm Garvey Communications, was addressing over 40 participants at a workshop for announcers and broadcasters organised by the Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG).

It brought together participants from the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN), Spice Capital Radio, SAC FM, WEE FM, VOG FM, among other media houses.

Garvey, a former broadcaster with Radio Grenada now GBN, challenges his colleagues to strive for professionalism because there is much more to announcing than just playing music and being heard on radio. He told media workers that an announcer/broadcaster must have the ability to communicate with the listening public as well as for them to effectively plan their programme.

"You must know before hand, what you plan to play on radio when your shift starts, you must have a command of your studio and know what it can do for you" Garvey pointed out.

According to the former broadcaster, announcers must also be informative, current and helpful to their audience and that they must be prepared for the unexpected when ever they are on air.

Garvey encourages them to properly plan their programmes and to be careful of the type of songs they select to be played on the radio. He stressed the need for them to be responsible in the selection of their music since he said it is a powerful medium for communication.

"I will not play or encourage announcers to play certain songs on the radio if I know it will have a certain impact" Garvey told the participants. The media consultant warned his colleagues against attempting to imitate other broadcasters.

He told them that words such as sending "shout out and big up' should not be for the airwaves since there are people outside of the country listening to those programmes.

Garvey called on practitioners to become more professional pointing out that in a recent media survey some of the current broadcasters were unable to top the first three places. He said that although he is no longer involved in broadcasting full time, he was able to place second in the survey while veteran broadcaster Lew Smith copped the first place.

Former Director of Information Jerry Romain who addressed the workshop on Ad Libbing stressed the need for preparation. He told them that whenever they seat in front of the microphone they now become the voice of the nation and so the need for preparation cannot be over emphasised.

Romain told his colleagues that if there are words they are unfamiliar with they must ask for assistance since pronunciation is key to becoming an effective announcer/ broadcaster.

The workshop, the first in a series is planned by MWAG who is placing emphasis this year on education and training. Besides Garvey and Romain, the other facilitators were Cable & Wireless Media Consultant Richard Simon and Editor of Carib Update Hamlet Mark.

Another workshop is planned for April 3 targetting persons in the print media.