Following the sudden death of pioneering broadcaster Charles Arrigo, several organizations and the political parties sent their messages of condolences. Mr Arrigo was a very well-known person with the Maltese and Gozitans due to his unique and professional voice. Meanwhile, Charles Arrigo’s funeral will be held on Wednesday at 0915 CET at the Naxxar Parish Church.
In a press release, the National Book Council stated that Mr Arrigo, more than any other broadcaster, was synonymous with the Maltese book. By means of his elaborate and sensitive reading, he introduced the Maltese novel to many who might never have got to know of it if it had not been for him. The council added that there are very few Maltese who do not know the voice of Charles Arrigo, narrating, explaining, celebrating the beauty of the language as wrought by our authors.
Apart from this, the Council explained, “Charles Arrigo was a man of great sensitivity, a gentleman, an eager teacher about all things related to broadcasting. He was the pinnacle of communicative professionalism, and Malta has lost a cornerstone that helped make the history of broadcasting in our country.”
In the name of all those who love the Maltese book, the National Book Council stated that it “would like to honour Charles Arrigo, a pioneer of popular reading, broadcaster and a person the calibre of which it is very difficult to find.”
The Nationalist Party, the Malta Labour Party and the Alternattiva Demokratika have expressed their condolences to all relatives of Charles Arrigo.
The Nationalist Party said that Charles Arrigo’s death leaves an empty space in the broadcasting scene. The PN stated that Mr Arrigo has for the last five years contributed to Radio 101. He recorded all the texts from the Bible, which were being broadcasted in the programme Il-Bxara t-Tajba and Kliem il-Ħajja.
MLP leader Dr Alfred Sant described the loss of Charles Arrigo as a personal loss. He stated, “we did not have same opinion on various aspects including political and social, however, Charles Arrigo was a genuine friend and a person with a great talent, and was a professional broadcaster.” Dr Sant added that Mr Arrigo understood the importance of social communication in Malta. He expressed his sincere condolences to all the members of his family.
On its part, Alternattiva Demokratika stated that Mr Arrigo’s decades of service in public broadcasting provided a reference point of style and dignity in a changing world. His contribution to the establishment of a proper form of spoken Maltese cannot be overestimated. The Green Party added, “now that he is gone we may begin to realise the extent of his service to us all.”
MaltaMedia founder and creative director Toni Sant, friend and former colleague of Charles Arrigo stated, “The man deserves every eulogy he gets. Broadcasting and culture in Malta would have been very very different without Charles Arrigo in the last 60 years.”
Read more on Toni Sant's Blog.
See also:
Broadcaster Charles Arrigo passes away
By MaltaMedia News - Feb 13, 2006, 14:16 CET
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