(Originally published in FMR’s Opus Magazine, June 2024).
By the time you receive this edition of Opus, the cacophony of mudslinging and empty promises we experienced during the May elections should be fading out. All the noise and hot air we had to endure, set me thinking about the value of FMR to our communal psyche – especially with our 29th birthday coming up soon.
But first, my obligatory flying story:
Legendary pilot, educator and adventurer Dick Rutan died early in May this year. He was 85. Rutan was probably best known for the record-setting nonstop (without refuelling) circumnavigation of the earth he and Jeana Yeager accomplished in 1986. This in a strange-looking aircraft with two small piston engines, designed by his brother, maverick aircraft designer Burt Rutan.
A highly decorated Vietnam veteran, Dick Rutan flew 325 combat missions and was awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with three silver oak leaf clusters, the Collier Trophy and was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross – twice. These decorations are not dished out by Uncle Sam for just showing up.
I had the honour of meeting Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager (not related to the famous Chuck Yeager), when they visited South Africa during the late eighties as guests of the Aero Club of SA. I interviewed them on morning TV. Knowing of his wartime exploits and achievements, I asked Rutan what he would consider as the most dangerous thing he had done in Vietnam. His answer: “Walking into a bar in Saigon…”
This very quickly made me realise that he was not going to be questioned in public about his combat experiences, and it also taught me about the power of understatement.
Sometimes less is indeed more. When I started out as a young broadcaster, one of my mentors was the legendary Robin Alexander. Although he could talk the hind leg off a donkey as “Minister of Midnight Affairs”, his mantra was always: “If you have nothing to say, don’t say it”. That bit of sage advice has stuck with me throughout the years, and through my many career deviations.
During the recent election campaigns in our country, with lots of bombast saying absolutely nothing, I was often reminded of Robin’s advice again.
What he tried to convey, was that you should never start talking, without knowing exactly why, how, and for how long you’re going to have that microphone fader open. It is still the best advice I can offer our presenters today.
I believe that we are listening to FMR, because of the distinct absence of talk-for-the-sake-of-talk, and rather for our music. The founders of Fine Music Radio had the wisdom to apply for a broadcast license, which today still stipulates 90% music and 10% talk. This allows our presenters to weave a gentle background of valid information around the playlist, without bombarding us with the frustrating chatter and inane comments found on most other radio stations.
Where we do have talk, our programmes are geared to serve our “community of interest” as defined in our broadcast license, and to promote all our communities’ activities in the performing, visual and literary arts.
That is why we believe that our promise of “calm in chaos” is even more relevant today, than when FMR first hit the airwaves 29 years ago. While the hoo-hah around 30 years of democracy recedes into the history books, FMR quietly and calmly soldiers on, to next year celebrate 30 years of playing the world’s most beautiful music – understated, and with your support, against the odds.
Hangar Talk with Eon 