Sometime ago, I recall, I had cause to draw the attention of Radio Nigeria to what I thought were its shortcomings. Although its initial reaction tended towards a mild resentment, I note that over time, improvements have followed in its news out put.

A number of the old familiar voices were recalled to enliven news broadcasts; but of course some of those voices had lost their allure, not being as transfixing as they used to be. But it was delightful to hear those voices again, being good reminders of the good old days of Radio Nigeria.

I am glad to note that the current crop of broadcasters are making extremely favourable impressions on listeners. No one is left in any doubt that our news readers have had quality training no less demanding than that given to the best in the broadcasting industry. My "favourite broadcaster" awards will go to Evelyn Russell, Williams Williams, Nansel Nimyel and Richard Asiegbu for sports.

Conscious of Eddy Iroh's unrelenting effort and zeal to make his outfit one of the best in the world in news coverage, clarity of reception, newsworthiness, and objectivity, Radio Nigeria still has one very important question to resolve. How much of the thirty minutes of news time should be yielded to commercials and non-news related interventions?

The 10pm news beam is my preferred listening transmission. I always look forward to it, having waited all day, engrossed in other pursuits. But alas, the flow of recent news broadcasts is lost in commercial breaks that claim more than a fair share of the thirty minutes usually allotted to news transmission.

My understanding is that the FRCN is a commercialised federal parastatal and therefore enjoys autonomy in its revenue generation decisions. Paid adverts do not have to so interfere with the news band as to make bulletins irritatingly hard to sit through.

I do not know why we should discard the traditional format of world-renowned radio stations, which insist on reading news completely free of advertisements. I am sure a nationally organized poll will confirm that one or two breaks, not for commercials but for professional reasons may barely be tolerable. Right now FRCN is over marketing the news segment.

With regard to correspondents' reports, whereas for its news authentication objective, it is good to hear from correspondents, sometimes, it is much better to stay with the newscaster particularly when the reception from a correspondent is poor and his contribution adds nothing new to what listeners have already taken in. Some reports are so bad in reception that I always wonder under what circumstances listeners must hear them, and if the studio wants it that way. Any correspondent's report that cannot be relayed at quality level, or does not enrich the substantive news should be skipped and the story completed from the studio.

Finally, I have noticed the change of direction which FRCN has effected in its "News Talk" accommodation.

I have always assumed (obviously now in error) that the News Talk is what can best be described as the editorial segment of Radio Nigeria. And because the FRCN is a public organisation and therefore guided by a general policy of neutrality in its operations, they may not be expected to offer this slot to the public for personal aggrandising pronouncements.

The emerging pattern obviously follows from the FRCN revenue drive imperatives. A political campaigner writes a piece that tries to make a bad political candidate look good in the eyes of the public. FRCN obliges the campaigner with five minutes of airing the junk as News Talk. It is a misuse of public facility and can, if not already being abused. FRCN can alleviate its financial insufficiency in other ways.

The board of the FRCN should redirect its policies toward total national interest and not personal praise singing. It was so disturbing listening to why Mbadinuju should be returned as Governor of Anambra State in a Radio Nigeria newstalk. This example was followed by a couple of other governorship aspirants. Those acts were being unduly inconsiderate to the audience. I suggest that this policy be discarded forthwith for otherwise, your hands will soon be full with praises and rebuttals to the detriment of valuable news time.

Unedifying NPA employment record

In August last year, the Nigerian Ports Authority conducted tests and interviews for the purpose of selecting suitable candidates for training in its Technical Training School. To date, the results are still being awaited. But like everything in today's NPA, virtually everybody pretty well knows who is in, and who is out.

My sources reveal that those who may finally be announced as successful are expected to be sponsored candidates of board members, the transport ministry and the executive hierarchy of the authority. Falling outside that group means that a candidate has to look elsewhere for employment and that is very sad.

It was originally projected that the selections will be made on quota basis in order to provide representation for each state. Whereas this may seem to be an ideal policy, often applied as a guide to ensure fairness, pressures from greedy, well-placed heavyweights brought to bear, never lets the policy work. The rumoured end result is a selection that looks as if the NPA is reserved for Northern candidates and beneficiaries of political patronage.

The Nigerian Ports Authority is earning notoriety for employment

manipulation. Two years ago its General Manager (Personnel and Administration) was retired in order to clear the way for juggling employment results.

The Ministry of Transport must step into these irregularities to save our once best-managed federal parastatal from tribal and political rascality.