We have our own standards for talk shows
Stabroek News
April 27, 2002

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Dear Editor,

Talk Show host Lorri Alexander and NBTV Channel 9 are in the business of attracting maximum viewership and hence maximum advertising revenue.

Tell me, didn't Monica Lewinsky's dress make money for TV, radio, and newspaper journalists and media houses in the USA? Tell me again, have you ever heard of paparazzi journalism? I was watching a morning TV Talk Show in the UK in the Princess Diana era when a photograph revealing Princess Diana's panty line was discussed. The audience brazenly discussed whether Princess Diana wore panties or bloomers. TV discussion of those matters is normal within White culture.

I did not find Lorri Alexander's show scurrilous, or demeaning, or libellous. It was kaiso conversation television for our educated class. Look at those who were raucous at the National Cultural Centre. They were wearing evening dresses! Hi, how I hate the boring foreign scandals in sections of the non-Black media such as: "Church to draw up special process for paedophiles...No change in celibacy despite scandal" (SN, April 25, 2002).

Death notices on C N Sharma's TV Channel 6 are very popular and bring a lot of revenue to Mr. Sharma's media business because Guyanese advertise their reputed wives and reputed husbands on it, and we can make conversation. Channel 6 is wonderful innovative television with limited affordable equipment. We are a people different from white culture and have our own standards for kaiso conversation and Talk Shows.

Mia Rahaman and Juanita Collins attended the Bishops' High School and their-bio-data is the stuff of "royalty" and hence relevant news. She went to Bishops' and she used to smoke and drink! Stabroek News quickly followed the instant Black media, and interviewed both ladies in the heat of the controversy.

Kindly reflect on your editor's note to me, the aim of Kit Nascimento is not "standards that govern what is said on television or radio" but to use the Wireless and Telegraphy Regulations to terrorise the Black media. However, the Lion of Judah will break every chain and give us the victory again and again.

Yours faithfully,

Ras Tom Dalgety

Editor's note:

We believe you are wrong. Mr. Hugh Cholmondeley and Kr. Kit Nascimento and many others are trying to set professional standards of journalism that should be followed by all who believe that accurate, objective journalism is an ideal to be sought and is in the interest of a democratic society. The new regulations are a step in this direction.

The format of Talk shows is somewhat different from straight reporting but the hosts should surely not allow baseless rumours to be circulated or make racially inflammatory remarks based on false or unchecked information. This can cause tremendous damage.