Perkins: A colossus of Jamaica's media landscape

Troy Caine, Contributor

THE PASSING of Wilmot 'Motty' Perkins is not just the end of an era in Jamaica's media fraternity, but clearly the loss of a giant who had ever wielded a pen or a microphone and became a legend in his own time.

For the better part of 60 years, Motty bestrode the Jamaica media landscape like a colossus, whether in his writings or his utterances, and carved out a niche in media circles that frankly, might never be filled in our lifetime. One fascinating fact about Motty was that he was not afraid to be different, or to have a different view from everyone else. His abhorrence of injustice, indiscipline, and trampling of the rights of the lowliest in the society were high on his agenda of deep concern.

I first met Motty over 35 years ago at a time when a large chunk of the mainstream media was about to be placed "under heavy manners". At that time, Motty was already a media giant for some 20 years. After starting at Public Opinion in the mid-50s, he then went to work at the fledgling Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) radio station shortly after it had started in 1959, where, among other things, he became a part-time host of JBC's 'The Week in Perspective' on Saturday nights.

To the best of my knowledge, the first version to qualify as a talk show locally was actually hosted by the popular Jewish priest of the day, Rabbi Bernard Hooker, whose radio programme on RJR in the mid-'60s invited callers to air their views, problems, whatever.

First show

But the first call-in talk show as we know it today was called 'What's Your Grouse?', conceptualised and presented on week-day evenings on RJR by Phillip Jackson - not Motty, as claimed in some tributes since his passing. This was started in 1968 (not 1960, as stated), but Jackson left the programme before the year was out and it was then taken over by Perkins sometime in late 1968.

However, my recollection of Motty Perkins on 'What's Your Grouse?' was not quite the Motty of later years. Instead of the patient, soothing, and helpful host we have known in more recent times, Motty back then came across as being abrupt, temperamental, and impatient with callers, where Jackson, known to be a cool DJ, was more mellow and cordial. Anyway, for whatever reason, 'Grouse' died in 1969 and gave way to 'Open Mind', again with Phillip Jackson, but he left the island in '69 (to return a few years later), and again it was Motty who also took over that programme.

Apparently, Motty's brief stints and experiences on those two pioneering call-in programmes must have influenced his decision in later years to stick closer to radio talk shows which would become his major calling. Except for his role during the 1970s as a Gleaner columnist alongside that awesome array of writers like John Hearne, David DaCosta, Morris Cargill, Ken Jones, Dr Carl Stone, and Dawn Ritch, then later with Jamaica Herald, Motty's main activity for nearly the last 40 years of his life has been radio talk shows.

On the move

He had moved back to JBC Radio in the '70s to host 'Public Eye', then to RJR again to do 'Hot Line', then 'Straight Talk' on KLAS FM 89, before initiating 'Perkins On Line' on Hot 102 FM and eventually moving it to Power 106 FM, where it has remained for the last decade. Of them all, this has been truly the programme that has endeared Motty to everyone from here to Timbuktu - literally!

He was a moderator with an intellectual capacity to articulate views on anything and with anyone, with a penetrative, probing mind that stimulated deeper thinking on issues. His knowledge of Jamaica's political history, events, incidents, and personalities was impeccable.

On behalf of my family, I express condolences to his dear wife, Elaine, and other members of the family. May they find solace and strength in this time of bereavement.

Walk good, Motty. The talking has only just begun.

Troy Caine is a political historian and commentator.