Minority broadcasting

Having recently posted on the subject of language preservation at reference 1, I thought that the book at reference 2, recently discarded by Surrey Libraries, might add a bit of spice to my rather theoretical thoughts.

A bit of spice derived from long experience of public service radio broadcasting to people with subcontinental backgrounds or families, that is to say from what is now Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

A book which turned out to be very much a personal memoir, a long way from a coherent history of the subject. Such a long way that I have failed, at about a fifth of my way through the 300 odd pages.

A world which was very preoccupied with ratings - things like pennies or pounds spent per listening hour - and which seemed to be awash with (diversity) awards ceremonies in expensive hotels.

It did not help that I do not listen to the radio at all myself; national, regional, local or any other sort. I just about read our not very good (free) local paper and I take what I imagine is an average, that is to say not very much, interest in local affairs. Nor did it help that I am a white, middle class pensioner of advancing years and my background is white middle class - English apart from a diversion to Canada in the first half of the 20th century - and I have no minority interests of my own.

Nevertheless, I have learned what a difficult and expensive business it is to provide good quality radio broadcasting to minority and local communities. I have been reminded of the choice a presenter might have to make between presenting to the minority that he or she knows and joining main-stream broadcasting, where the big careers are. I have been reminded what a labyrinthine, civil-service like organisation the BBC is. Do they really need all that management structure, all those buildings? I wondered whether catering to these particular needs might not be better catered for by commercial providers.

Next thought was that commercial providers might well be fine for popular music and popular films, perhaps from Bollywood (Mumbai, once Bombay) or Lollywood (Lahore). But they might not be fine for the rather more tricky business of news, local, national and subcontinental. Just think of the tensions between Hindus and Moslems in parts of India. Or of the troubles in Kashmir. Or of the troubles in Sri Lanka. Just think of all the rubbish and worse swilling around the likes of Facebook. Do we want commercial or religious providers to be the main source of information to the corresponding communities in this country? Do we want to leave it to amateurs and volunteers to plug the gaps?

And while we want these communities to know about what is going on back east, we don't want to bring troubles from back east to this country. Not least because many of the people in these communities came, or their parents came, to get away from these very troubles.

All in all, a tricky business. And maybe I will do better with my next find on this subject.

Reference 1: http://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/12/why-are-languages-worth-preserving.html.

Reference 2: Asian Aunti-ji: Life with the BBS Asian Network  - Mike Curtis - 2015.