Personalities on Shortwave Past & Present

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One of the interesting things about being a long time SWL is having memories of many programs and personalities one has “known” through the years. Any listener would have their own list of favorites. ..... ..... ..... Earle Fischer from the CBC International (precursor to RCI) was one of my favorites, with his deep bass voice and friendly replies to listeners' letters. Later, from RCI, then Radio Japan, came the still very active advocate for broadcaster-listener relations, Ian McFarland, a real gentleman. ..... ..... ..... For mailbag shows, who can forget Keith Glover who used to come in the early mornings from Radio Australia? Or the real survivor, Joe Adamov, long-time host of Moscow Mailbag, over Radio Moscow, now of course, the Voice of Russia? ..... ..... ..... Radio Netherlands certainly has had its share of memorable personalities: Eddie Startz and Tom Meier of the Happy Station Program (Remember ) And on the zanier side, came Jerry and Doty Cowen, who hosted the lively musical request show for many years. And now, of course, is the very well known Jonathan Marks and Media Network, perhaps the finest overall media program on the air today. ..... ..... ..... On the less flamboyant side are Allistair Cooke and his Letter from America, I think the longest program on shortwave, now over 50 years. His mastery of the English language and the pulse of America is phenomenal. I will never forget a program from many years ago when he succinctly summarized several modern Presidential administrations with just one sentence each. ..... ..... ..... Other announcers have just been pleasantly reassuring, like Leonard Booker and Rich McVicar, previous hosts of the DX Party Line from HCJB in Quito, Ecuador. ..... ..... ..... Perhaps you have a favorite announcer, past or present, who may be as well known to shortwave listeners as Walter Cronkite or David Brinkley are to TV viewers? If so, feel free to submit them and we will post them as time and space allows ..... ..... .....