Mailbox

This week in Mailbox: Czech farmers facing tough competition, the quality of Radio Prague's internet broadcasts, a collapse of a road tunnel construction in Prague, Radio Prague's special programme about Jan Hus, a song featured on Radio Prague, the summer "emptiness" of Prague. Listeners quoted: Lynda-Marie Hauptmann, David Eldridge, Victor Mumba Ndzai, Carl Wolfe, Bill Hunt, Jaroslav B. Tusek.

Hello and welcome to Mailbox. We’re glad that despite the football World Cup and the summer holiday season in the Northern Hemisphere, so many of you found the time in recent weeks to write in to Radio Prague in response to our broadcasts.

Here is what Lynda-Marie Hauptmann from the US had to say:

“Here is a suggestion for the Czech farmers facing tough competition from foreign imports. This has worked with a degree of success for American farmers, too. Instead of demanding tariffs or import taxes, which just leads to bad feelings, they should start an ad campaign about the virtues of locally grown crops - vegetables which are fresher and easier to get to the market and then to the home of consumers. There is also the angle that with the local farmers, it takes a lot less greenhouse emissions to bring fresh, local produce to the market.”

David Eldridge from England comments on the quality of our internet broadcasts:

“In response to listeners’ comments in Mailbox on your web streaming, my experience is that whilst it is usually of fairly good quality and more satisfactory than short wave, that is not always the case. You do have an annoying fault that makes people sound as if have a frog in their throat when speaking. I have mentioned that before. Also, in times of heavy Internet demand, such as when there is some popular sporting event on or during some cultural occasion or holiday, such as Christmas or New Year, continuity on the Internet fails. That does not happen when using short wave for reception, of course because it is not a ‘one to one’ system.

“Also, what has happened to some of your local programmes, like from Brno and Olomouc? I used to be able to pick them up on the Internet and cannot now. Are they a victim of economies?”

I tried all the local stations just now at www.rozhlas.cz/audio/vysilani/ and everything worked smoothly.

Victor Mumba Ndzai writes from Kenya:

“I used to listen to Radio Prague when I was in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, but now I was transferred to a very interior village where even reading news through the internet is a problem but I try to read the news whenever I get a chance. I will buy my own laptop so I can know much what is happening in Prague. I have read the news of the man who was trapped after the collapse of the road tunnel. The constructors should be very careful because this is the second time collapsing and it may even kill people if not watched.”

As a matter of fact it was the third case something like that happened and investigation is underway to determine whether the cause was an unexpected geological fault or negligence.

Jan Hus

A short note from Carl Wolfe from NY, USA:

“Thank you for the fine special program last night about Jan Hus, the church reformer of the 16th century. It was superb, as are all of your historical materials.”

Bill Hunt from Florida heard our programme on shortwave:

“I first picked up the signal in the middle of a song that was quite outstanding, involving a strong guitar part and a solo, male vocalist. I would LOVE to be able to hear that song again (And maybe learn it, as I am a guitarist and singer). So, is it possible to get a list of the songs from about 10:40-10:50 UTC on the July 4, 2010 English broadcast? Thanks for your broadcasts!”

It is very likely that you heard our Czech language programme SoundCzech presented by Jan Richter. The featured song on that day was “S nebem to mám dobrý” by Vladimír Mišík from his latest album Ztracený podzim. You can get back to the programme at www.radio.cz/en/article/129534

And finally Jaroslav B. Tusek responds to a recent Letter from Prague:

“Thanks for this helpful update about Prague in the summer. We are leaving Orlando, Florida at the end of this month and are relocating to Prague-Vinohrady. Hoping we will still be able to enjoy some of the ‘Emptiness’ you wrote about when we arrive in August.”

Thank you for all those e-mails and as every month you can take part in our little quiz and win a Radio Prague goodie bag.

“All you need to do is send us the name of the 19th century Czech-born American missionary and bishop who was canonized in 1977.”

Please send us your answers by the end of July to [email protected] or Radio Prague, 12099 Prague, Czech Republic. I’ll be back next week. Until then, happy listening.