The Tribune

VETERAN broadcaster Ed Fields returns to the Radio House airwaves today with a new talk show on KissFM, with his first guest Prime Minister Perry Christie.

Mr Fields signed off after 20 years as a ground-breaking morning show presenter on 100Jamz and Cool 96 in May 2014 but returns today promising a new approach – “conjecture and speculation will not be the order of the day,” he told The Tribune.

“We will not be necessarily discussing the flavour of the week and all of the salacious fodder that accompanies that which is sensational,” Mr Fields said of Ed Fields Live, which will be broadcast twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, from 5.30 to 7pm.

“In my humble opinion, the opening up of the airwaves, while necessary, has gone from censored propaganda to uncontrolled misinformation. We wish to be the pendulum that has finally swung to the middle and will make every effort to inform so that citizens can advocate for that which will move the country forward as opposed to that which only serves to keep us yelling at one another.”

It is a change of tune for Mr Fields, whose trademark has been his provocative remarks and wit, and one he is looking forward to. “A great deal of preparation will go into each show and I am going to engage heavily in researching the issues to be discussed.”

Mr Fields, who also serves as senior vice-president of public affairs and retail services at Atlantis, became an influential voice in the Bahamas over two decades and contributed to the rapidly changing landscape of local radio.

He said his new show would differ from others significantly. “Ours will have less focus on callers - though there will be some element of that from time to time - in favour of discussion. Our listeners will have an opportunity to weigh in on the discussion via social media and email and we will air their comments, questions and concerns, which will lend to more concise and thoughtful enquiry as opposed to caller soliloquies.

“We will often invite those writers to come in and elaborate. We believe that by doing so we will capture the audience who is tired of hearing the same persons calling in, with the same gripes and intolerant ramblings. We want for listeners not feel frustration, anger, stress or to be riled up, but to feel informed, exposed to new possibilities, motivated to participate in change and perhaps even bring about a restoration of hopefulness.”

That means a guest list which will be weighted towards people that are not often heard. “From the average man on the street to some of our more accomplished citizens from various disciplines that are qualified to address the topic being discussed,” he said. “We would wish to move away from punditry and toward the expert and experiential.”

Mr Fields said the show would be broken into three segments. “The first part of the show will be based on issues and concerns that the listening public bring to our attention as it relates to concerns in both the private and public sector, though we wish to place primary emphasis on the public sector delivery of services. We will research them and report on what our findings are and what resolutions can be accomplished and how to bring about change that would lend to those issues being rectified permanently.

“The middle segment will be guest-oriented that will discuss a wide range of issues that will impact Bahamians and that may result in a call to action. The final segment will be directed specifically at issues where I see there is room for reform with respect to how we are managed as a country and how through research, collaboration and citizen involvement bring about change.

“In a nutshell, the show will be comprised of We (the people), They (the guests) and Me (the host), with Kirk Smith the co-host, challenging me as he has always done in his unique way.” Mr Smith was one of Mr Field’s co-hosts on his morning shows, along with Eric Ward and Michelle Greene as they put private radio on the map in the Bahamas.

Mr Fields explained one of the show’s philosophies, that we are citizens and not just people. “The single guiding principle is to nurture transforming the mindset of Bahamians who essentially see themselves as subjects, to seeing themselves as citizens. If we can make that transformation we can begin to see ourselves as necessary components in bringing about the changes we need to move forward.”

Ed Fields Live will be broadcast on KissFM 96.1 on Mondays and Thursdays from 5.30 to 7pm starting today.