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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 74-11,050 SMEYAK, Gerald Paul, 1940- THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF BROADCASTING IN GUYANA, SOUTH AMERICA. ^he Ojiio State University, Ph.D., 1973 University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF BROADCASTING IN GUYANA, SOUTH AMERICA DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By G erald P au l Smeyak, B .F .A ., M.A. ***** The Ohio State University Reading Committee: Approved By Dr. Richard Mall Dr. Joseph Foley Dr. Deith Brooks A dvisor Department of Communication ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this project was marred by the death of Dr. Walter B. Emery, a member of this dissertation committee. Dr. Emery was well known for his work in the area of national and international communications and was directly responsible for my interest in this field. I deeply regret he was unable to see the resolution of this stu d y . I wish to express a special note of appreciation to the other members of my committee, Dr. Richard Mall, Dr. Joseph Foley and Dr. Keith Brooks. Drs. Mall and Foley were instrumental in shaping this study and offered sound advice and criticism during the planning and writing stages. Dr. Brooks kindly consented to become involved in this project at a late date and his efforts are most appreciated. In Guyana, Chief Information Officer Victor Forsythe, GBS Acting Director Vivian Harrison, GBS Engineer-in-Chief Meer Assad Kayman and Radio Demerara Manager Rafiq Khan were most helpful and kind during the field trip. To the many others in Guyana and the United States who assisted in this endeavor, I wish to convey my gratitude for their help. • c / ( 1 .i i i VITA November 7, 1940 ................................ Born - Lakewood, Ohio 1965 ............................................. B.F.A. Ohio University Athens, Ohio 1965-1966 .............................................. News Editor - USEE Television Erie, Pennsylvania 1966-1970 ....................... ..... News Editor - UBNS Television Columbus, Ohio 1969 ........................................................... M.A. The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 1970-1973 . ................................ Assistant Professor, Department of Drama/Speech Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, Kentucky FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Mass Communications Studies in national and international communications, Professor W alter B. Emery Studies in educational and instructional broadcasting, Professor I. Keith Tyler Studies in political and social aspects of broadcasting, Professor Joseph Foley iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS i i i VITA iv LIST OF TABLES v i i LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS x INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter I. History of Guyana 17 Geography C lim ate H isto ry Social Aspects P o litic s Economics Legal Structure II. Development of a Broadcast Monopoly to 1931 .................. 45 Telegraphy Wireless Telegraphy Broadcasting in Great Britain Broadcasting in British Guiana: 1926-1928 Wireless Broadcasting in British Guiana: 1928-1931 III. The Growth and Development of Commercial Broadcasting in British Guiana Local Commercial Ownership 1935-1949 ................................ 76 C ry s ta ls B roadcasting Company B ritish Guiana Broadcasting Company B ritish Guiana United Broadcasting Company Government Broadcasting L egal T ech n ical F in a n c ia l Programming Foreign Commercial Ownership: 1950-1967 ........................... 139 Government Broadcasting Legal T echnical F in a n c ia l Programming IV. Private and Public Broadcasting: 1968-1972 ....................... 221 Legal T echnical F in a n c ia l Programming V. Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations. ...... 251 Appendix I .............................................................. 263 II .......................................................................................................................... 265 III .................................................................................... 267 IV .......................................................................................................................... 272 V .......................................................................................................................... 281 VI ......................................................................................................................... 283 VII .......................................................................................................................... 295 VIII .......................................................................................................................... 311 IX .................................................................................................. 313 X .......................................................................................................................... 315 XI .......................................................................................................................... 322 XII .......................................................................................................................... 324 XIII .......................... 326 XIV .......................................................................................................................... 328 XV .......................................................................................................................... 331 XIV ...................... 336 v i Bibliography LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. United Nations Estimate of Per Capita Income ..... 6 2. Radio Receivers per 100,000 inhabitants ................................. 7 3. Mineral Exports from Guyana ............................................................ 39 4. Category and Percentage of Scheduled Program Material from United States and Dutch Radio Stations to be relayed over Telephone Lines to Diffusion Listeners in British Guiana During 1927 and 1928 . 61 5. Bureau of Public Information Staff and Budget for the Period 1939 through 1949 ................................................. 104 6. Number of Reported Listeners to the "BPI Sunday-at- Noon Programme" of October 23, 1949 by Area, as Reported in the BPI Audience Survey. ........................... 109 7. ZFY Daily Program Categories in Hours and Minutes as Taken from Newspapers during the Period 1938 Through 1949 ........................................................................................... 132 8. ZFY Program Categories in Percent by Year as Taken from Newspapers during the Period 1938 Through 1949 .......................................................................................... 133 9. Sources of ZFY Programs in Time and Percent by Year as Taken from Newspapers during the Period 1938 through 1948.................................................................................. 134 10. Categories of Government Information Service Programs on Radio Demerara in Numbers, Time and Percent for the Year 1957 ........................................................................................... 177 11. Radio Demerara Program Categories in Hours and Minutes as Taken From Newspaper Radio Schedules during the Period 1950 through 1966 ................................................................ 211 v i i i 12. Radio Demerara Program Categories in Percent as Taken from Newspaper Radio Schedules during the Period 1950 Through 1966 ..............................................................