The 40th NCVO Radio/Telethon is going ahead on Saturday October 19^th at The Prospect Playhouse without the Telethon.

With only two weeks of being on air CITN, as it was known then, (the for-runner of the marketing name Cayman27) televised the NCVO Telethon as a separate broadcast from the Radiothon.

It was 32 years ago. I remember it very well as I was one of the presenters, along with Barrie Quappe. My wife, Joan, read a poem and wrote the words to a jingle (that Chuck and Barrie composed the music for).

It was broadcast separately from the radio for about five years when it was decided to host it simultaneously, as, in then Manager, Loxley Banks words, “We sat at our desks at the Radio Station with silent phones.” Such was the power of television over the radio in such a short time.

Joan has continuously read her poems at every televised NCVO Telethon.

Who would have imagined that our Premier, Alden McLaughlin, after 32 years, would force the closing down of the television station.

In a press release he said, in words that intimated, steps would be taken quickly by him to feel the gap. Proudly, just last week, it was announced the Cayman27 News programme would now be filled by CIGTV, the Government owned Television Station with help from the Cayman Compass. Of course, Caymna27 was not named. It was just a local television station. The writer of the release had quickly forgotten the name of the television station.

I have asked the question “Will CIGTV now broadcast live this year’s NCVO Radio/Telethon?” I have yet to have an answer and neither have the persons behind the Radio/Telethon received one.

Eden Hurlston of Oneworld Entertainment, who is putting together all the entertainment for the evening, told me, “Despite the unfortunate loss of our TV station, Hurleys will be Live Streaming and airing the show.”

It won’t be the same and it will be a very, very, sorry occasion if there is a sharp drop in revenues the NCVO will receive this year.

Perhaps the Premier himself, will give a huge open donation to make up for the loss if that happens?

I hope there is sufficient publicity for the event, because to date I have seen and received very, very little.

A Radio/Streamathon. The very first of its kind, I believe, anywhere.