Don’t radio stations have a responsibility to the young people of Trinidad and Tobago any longer? Don’t they respect us anymore?

Why do they believe that it is no longer their duty to ensure that we are protected from their overt commentary and use of certain words?

Almost every morning while travelling to school, I am subjected to conversation and advertisements that in no way help to put me in the state of mind needed to function at school; as a matter of fact, listening to these radio stations makes me irate, but what can I do? I would not even dare ask the driver to adjust the station, lest I receive the “cuss-out” of my life.

Could it be that the announcers and owners/mangers of particular radio stations are not aware of the laws of this nation? Is this why they continue to allow commercials to be aired where their supporters use words such as “blasted” and “damn” or where presenters make allusions to very raunchy and sexual material during time periods when it is certain that many children will be listening?

It frustrates me and it should frustrate every person who has a child they want to nurture and protect. Yes, some may argue that “journalists” ought to have total freedom of speech and expression to perform to the best of their ability and bring to the public the issues at hand, but they also owe it to the public to protect the youth.

While there is freedom of the press, this liberty MUST be accompanied by repercussions if this liberty is abused. This is one of the reasons that the “watershed” was introduced, a time period outside of which material that is unsuitable for children cannot be broadcast.

The watershed commences at 9 p.m. and ends at 5:30 a.m. the following morning. If regulations are in place, why then are they being ignored? Why am I left ticked off at everyone as I enter City Gate?

Furthermore, some young people see these radio announcers as role models, but how can they be seen as exemplars when their behaviour is less than standard?

One radio announcer in particular causes me to feel ashamed that we share the same “Trini” heritage, for not only does she lack class as a presenter, but she lacks class and elegance in her other endeavours as well.

I wonder if we Trinis will wait until curse words come spilling out of the mouths of our favourite presenters before we act.

Or maybe parents will delay their protests until a teacher informs them that their beloved child used the language of a sailor that day in class.

Perhaps when young children start repeating the racist comments they have heard “disguised” as a humourous joke, we will take action.

Probably when the presenters feel like taking it up a notch and begin to use harsher curse words, citizens will raise their voices. Maybe, maybe, maybe… Hopefully, this time comes sooner rather that later.

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