The MBC is probably the most powerful watched medium in Mauritius. It is a national institution, which is an influential and prominent mechanism for informing, educating, and enlightening adults, children, and all grades of students on languages. Therefore, the presenters, reporters and newsreaders are significant role models in articulating news and views in English and other languages. Radio and TV are prized and esteemed media for learning pronunciation, diction, delivery, elocution, and voice projection. Does the MBC do justice to the English language? Is the quality of spoken English used by commentators and reporters a good example to students of English? Is the MBC recognising and shouldering its educational role? Why is French given such prominence at the MBC compared to English?

Mauritians around the world are well liked for their ability to articulate coherently in French and English. These two languages continue to serve us well and enable us to move around the world comfortably. Consequently, we enjoy employment and social mobility with reasonable ease. Thus, Mauritius should preserve and enhance this bilingual strength that the world admires us for. It is erroneous and flawed to subjugate English and promote French consciously or subconsciously .

Indeed, a prominent figure once said that ?one should be excellent in French and mediocre in English to get a post at the MBC, whereas a journalist who is mediocre in French and excellent in English does not get a look in?. Why should we have such prejudice and intolerance? This discrimination is emphasised by having more news sessions and programmes in French. English programmes and news have been kept to bare minimum.

Those responsible for such bigotry and bias are denying children, adults and students in Mauritius an opportunity to learn English language at a different level. If it is not bigotry, then MBC is failing to recognise its responsibility in spreading and facilitating the learning of languages. Some would accuse MBC of national damage and disservice for toning English down and relegating it to the doldrums.

The MBC should remember that the official language of this country is English. Debates in the Legislative Assembly are in English. Is the MBC still fighting and combating colonialism belligerently? There is no need because this is the Republic of Mauritius. Living in the past will only harm the citizens of tomorrow. There is no suggestion here that French should be toned down. Instead, the level of English should be raised to that of French.

A poor role model

It is very pleasing and obvious that the reporters and newsreaders have worked hard and perfected their French. They are and should be admired for their display and competence. The MBC must set similar standards for English newsreaders and reporters. The present level of English at the MBC is at times, rather dull and pedestrian. There is no strong role model to emulate. Students and the ?English? audience need and deserve something better as Mauritius has many able English speakers who can do a good job.

It is understandable that accents are different but the correct pronunciation and diction are something that the public must insist on and demand quality from the MBC. We cannot afford to have the MBC as a poor role model for English language. The impact and influence of broadcast and written reports in the press is well documented. Thus, the MBC must scrutinise its English broadcasters more rigorously. Rumours continue to fester that appointments are based on family links instead of competence in English. If there is any truth in this, then indeed a national damage is being done. On the other hand, competent bilinguals such as Nando Bodha and Mohammad Vayid do exist and this is the model that the MBC must advance.

The MBC must realise and shoulder its responsibility in the education process. It must recruit powerful role models to help students and citizens of tomorrow so that we can navigate through the global linguistic ocean proudly and competently as bilingual Mauritians. English language must be advanced much more in Mauritius and we should have more English programmes on TV.

Language is a powerful tool to frame the ethos of a programme, a course of study for the community and a nation. English language provides a unique ethos in stylisation and descriptive contextualisation of events that people may carry forward in their own lives. Thus language is much more powerful than the MBC is appearing to realise. The language we use and teach our children at home sometimes frames lifestyle.

It is obvious in Mauritius that parents are very keen to speak French to their children at the detriment of other languages. We see it in supermarkets, at bus stops and other avenues that Mauritians are on the bandwagon to condition their children to frame daily activities in French. Why is this? What is so special about French that is missing in English or other languages? The implications are very serious for the future. One just has to talk to students who perfect their French and then move to England to study in English and the problems they encounter. The MBC should encourage the construction of discourse in English and play a much more balanced but dynamic role in spoken and written English.

The Mauritius College of the Air (MCA) appears to have a more balanced outlook and the debates in English by the students are an eye-opener. This programme has consistently shown that there are young budding Mauritians who can articulate in English but sadly they are a minority. MCA programmes show the tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done to bring the majority of our students to a global level of discursive English. The MCA must also be mindful to recruit powerful role models to host educational programmes and the panel, which comments on the abilities of students. It does not look good when the students speak better English than the panel or the presenter?

The MBC should invigorate the level of discussion and debates about local, national, and common social issues in English. Thus, interviews and cross-examination of politicians and business personnel should be more prominent during peak hours. English programmes on current affairs are scheduled too late for students to take advantage of these. Even the News in English is scheduled after 9 p.m. Young children learning English may have retired to bed by then. If we really want to promote a language, then our children should be exposed to it. The rescheduling of English current affairs programmes at peak times is well overdue.

The MBC should enshrine itself as an institution that helps the development of languages. English language should be a prominent component of the MBC and illumina- ting critical professional journalistic discourse as well as promoting good conversational exchange. MBC should become more aware of educational and social constructivism through communication instead of engaging in the simplistic mode of just regurgitating news.

Broadcasting is more than just sharing news and views. It is about striking a balance between the reproduction of culturally well-established discursive patterns and the production of new creative social and communicative meaning in language use within news. This is how reality is constructed and painted by English language. Thus, the MBC must not shy away from communicatively constructing and shaping the language versatility of our people. Failing to engage in social constructivism is denying the present and future generations an invaluable opportunity to flourish in English language. MBC should shoulder its social and educational responsibility. It is through this repeated social and educational linguistic practices that genre is established.

The changing context

There has been much talk of the MBC being an independent body instead of a government propaganda machine. If this were to be upheld, then the MBC should open itself to critical analysis of its linguistic competence. It should be asking some simple questions: Why English language? For whom? What style? What are our values? and, most importantly, when should English language be televised? It should research and identify the audience?s cognitive needs, the social conditions within which it is broadcasting and the type of relationships the MBC wants to have with Mauritian society at large. The main purpose here is not to patronise but to stimulate and enlarge our understanding of the various processes involved in the construction of a linguistically competent society.

The MBC should be more in tune with the changing sociocultural and situational contexts in Mauritius. Broadcasting in a contextual vacuum is bound to lead to dissatisfaction and stunted programmes in English. The number of English speaking tourists in Mauritius is and has been increasing on an annual basis. Yet, the MBC has continued to keep current affairs in English to a minimum. How will these people learn the Mauritian culture, knowledge level, social and political ideologies? The French-speaking visitors presently have a good deal.

The time has come for the MBC to energise its activities and be more context-bound. In practice, this means more audience surveys and research is required to meet the needs of the Mauritian population and visitors. It is then and only then that programmes will have place and significance within our discursive systems and acquire stability of meaning and value to serve multiple functions.

The MBC should be aware that language and discourse play a role in the formation of social identity and societal reality. Similarly, vocational, academic, and professional cultures such as law, health and science have historically developed and evolved using a particular kind of language. Students and professionals try to learn and create a space for their field within society, institutions, and organisations.

Sharing of skills and expertise

The MBC should be one of the frameworks that provide the substantive knowledge base and its linguistic forms to help shape discourse in English. Dissemination of news and programmes must be framed at three particular layers: (1) The cognitive layer, (2) The social layer and (3) The societal layer. It is an open secret that British TV and news reading are probably the best in the world. It is time for our Mauritian newsreaders and editors to join their English counterparts to undertake joint activities and share skills and expertise. Such an exercise will help our students and English speaking audience.

Sociolinguists argue that language in speech and in writing is a social practice and is socially conditioned. If the MBC gives priority to French, then it is consciously or unconsciously conditioning people to speak French. Has the MBC got a ?more powerful shared meaning? of French instead of the English within its organisational culture? What are the inside-perspective and value systems at the MBC? As a responsible and independent organisation, it should look towards helping the nation to achieve a balanced linguistic competence.

At the moment, English language is rather opaque in Mauritius and the MBC should help make this aspect of our discourse more visible. What are the socio-political powers keeping English as a less prominent language? Has the British Council got a role in promoting English language? If it has, then it must be itself more visible and active to help the MBC in the right direction. The plea is for the MBC to embrace ?outsider-perspectives? and the public at large and give English Language more prominence.

If the MBC is not able to fulfil a wider role, then perhaps it is time for deregulation of what people watch on TV. Just as we have Radio Plus and Radio One offering alternative menus of interesting programmes, more private TV stations would fill the gap that exists now. Why should Mauritians have a restricted viewing of narrow sets of programmes? Why shouldn?t we have a better variety of programmes in other languages?

English language deserves a more prominent place for the sake of our students, our visitors, and our socialisation. The bilingual Mauritian is a versatile individual that will continue to fare well. The MBC should promote English much more if our children are to become competent speakers and writers of English. The MBC has a moral, educational and social responsibility to promote languages. It is a national cause and the MBC must not shy away from it.

Dr Taleb Durgahee