Radio announcers, speak proper English

 RECENTLY, I was quite shocked  when I tuned into a certain local radio station for the news. 

The informal language used appalled me to the point where I had to change stations. 

English is a second language for the majority of Papua New Guineans. 

Radio stations have a moral obligation to broadcast in a way that informs and educates the population at large, especially 

students, teenagers and young adults who seem to be their main target audience. 

We are a developing third-world country, unlike western countries who speak English as a first language.  

Therefore, the announcers who do their very best at speaking what they perceive to be ‘modern English’ must stop immediately and get back to the basics of speaking correct, formal English. 

They must use proper grammar and while doing that, they must also stop using forced Australian accent as it is becoming quite embarrassing to say the least. 

Radio announcers need to echo professionals such as Douglas Dimagi, William Mairi and Roger Hauofa who have been on the airwaves for years and are still able to maintain that much-needed formality in the radio broadcasting business. 

Managers of radio stations must screen announcers properly before employing them because they will be heard by potentially hundreds of thousands throughout the country. 

These changes ought to take place sooner rather than later.

Otherwise, our children will be speaking what I like to call ‘ghetto English’ in a few years and you will not be  wrong if you decide to shift the blame  on radio stations and their respective announcers. 

Cosby Selun

Port Moresby