There are many pleasures to be had in day to day life in Johannesburg over the Christmas season. The lack of traffic is certainly one, and complementing that very nicely is the fact that the regular dead wood on a certain (ahem) "number one" radio station have gone off on holiday. This clears the airways for some temporary, brilliant hosts and good listening. You know that the holiday season is well and truly over when you're getting ready to rather switch on a CD or mp3 player in the car instead of listening to well past their sell-by date radio presenters.
Bewildering is all I can say about the fact that one of the best presenters the station ever had has left it today. She was articulate, interesting and unassuming, making her a true joy to have on the radio no matter what the subject. That she has gone and no doubt that awful, self-absorbed woman who never ceases to tell you how many books she has read but doesn't quite seem to have learned anything from so much as one of them will be back polluting the afternoons makes me wonder if they've just given up on having a substantial audience.
The chap who has been on air on the morning show has been brilliant. Not once has he antagonized anyone with outlandish, extreme questions or points only to reveal that his standpoint on the subject is usually "I don't know". The same cannot be said of the regular host, no doubt back next week to let us know how lucky we are to have him.What a shame that he and his best friend in the afternoon can't just have the decency to walk away and let fresh, new and indeed interesting talent remain in place.
The worst perhaps comes in the afternoon when that chap who seems to be on holiday more than he is at work, those ten hour weeks obviously taking their toll, returns to the complex task of basically introducing news, sports, traffic reports and the next show, all whilst angling in just how many qualifications he has got and how clever he is.
I know a few who have kindly taken the time to read this will be upset as they enjoy the station and the above presenters. All I can do is ask you to cast your mind back some 18 - 20 years and recall what a brilliant, dynamic, relevant and important station it was. It's now just lowest common demoninator stuff, punctuated by vile, trashy tabloid style news reporting and hosts that like to play adverts for their own name when they're not just saying their own name on air. A few of you too will mention the fantastic good deeds they do. Yes, to a degree, but surely I am not the only one dubious about the motives behind them? If you don't know what I mean, just listen to how often they mention either the name of their station or their owners in relation to all these good deeds.
Ho hey, all one can say is that you for the tremendous Christmas gift of proper, interesting hosts for a couple of weeks. As of next week it's back off to the internet for decent news reports and accurate traffic updates, followed by in the car to listen to either CDs or possibly a radio station that tries to be the best it can instead of simply claiming to be my number one. I'll be tuning in again at the end of the year.
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