Our nation, over the years, has been blessed with radio services as a means of communicating messages to members of the public. Its power to quickly influence and to communicate messages even to our rural and remote areas, is an advantage radio has over other media.
Our children love listening to radio programmes, which they can easily relate to, and has an appeal for the younger generation. However, the Ministry of Education is quite disturbed at the conduct of some radio announcers over the air. The choice of words used is unbecoming of a responsible media personality, who should be tactful and polite in the way issues are discussed over the air.
It seems that these group of announcers have been given the freedom to say whatever they like over the air. They can use vulgar and offensive terms whenever they like, without any thought at all that they are talking to the whole nation.
Their colloquial and low-grade expressions have become a slang for our students and this is quite evident in students’ writing and conversation at school. In fact, our teachers can testify to that. There have been instances of student brawls in the past, which we can attribute to these announcers, who engage students in talkback shows and prank calls, to elicit their feelings and attitudes for another student or school.
To all these announcers, the Ministry of Education wishes like to remind you that you have a critical role in shaping attitudes and values for Fiji’s treasured future. Your conduct over the air speaks volumes of how you value education in this country.
To all radio directors and those responsible for these announcers, action definitely MUST be taken to address this issue. The whole nation cannot continue to stomach such filth from narrow-minded and egocentric individuals, who would like to engage our children in nothing but absolute garbage.
Enough is enough!
Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts, Youth and Sports, Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Mr Filipe Bole.