Let’s use this day to celebrate radio’s ability to inform, educate, and inspire action. Together, we can amplify the voices advocating for a sustainable future.
World Radio Day is observed on February 13. Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the diversity of audiences in their organizations and operations.
If we look at the journey of radio, one of the oldest mass communication mediums, its survival itself is a success story. When almost all traditional media either disappeared from the scene or became redundant in the amazing technology revolution, the medium of radio not only thrived, but expanded in use. It didn’t become a victim of modern technological onslaught, but embraced the technology to remain as an outstanding competitor in the field of mass communication.
Otherwise, with the advent of technology and the power of the Internet coupled with the thrill of moving pictures, it was confidently prophesied that radio as a broadcasting medium would be facing imminent death. Today, the fact is that radio has emerged as the ultimate survivor, adapting itself successfully to the tastes of the newer generation of listeners, making best use of newer technologies to connect cross sections for development without caring for circumstances.
Even as radio is one of the oldest mediums of mass communication, its survival in this age of powerful mediums like television and internet is most outstanding. When almost all old communication tools either disappeared from the scene or became redundant in the amazing technology revolution, the medium of radio thrived and expanded in use. It didn’t become victim of modern technology onslaught, but embraced the technology to remain as an outstanding competitor in the field of mass communication.
It’s worth mentioning that with the advent of technology coupled with the thrill of moving pictures, it was confidently prophesied that the radio would be facing the imminent death. The fact is that radio has emerged as the ultimate survivor, adapting itself to the tastes of the newer generations of listeners and making best use of newer technologies.
If we look at the scenario around the medium of radio in India, it’s none other than the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who revived the vibrancy of radio. Soon after assuming the power, Modi in a most surprising move lent tremendous credence to radio by capitalizing on its reach. It was almost a rebirth of Radio in India when he in a conversationally manner started his very personal broadcast ‘Maan Ki Baat’ (Words from the heart) to reach Indian citizens in every nook and corner of the country. Pertinently, Radio is believed to have a reach to 99 per cent population of the country. Rural population banks on it overwhelmingly for information related to their field of economic activities, particularly the agriculture activities. It is also cost effective and remains the most inexpensive and portable medium for masses. At the same time, radio programme production is also lower than that incurred on producing visuals. This all sums up that radio is still relevant and will remain so in future too.
In other words, radio is a very intimate medium touching the heart of listeners. It is a medium that leaves a lasting impression on the audience as, according to renowned broadcasters, listening to the spoken word without the aid of pictures requires imagination. ‘The pictures listeners create in their own minds last. A broadcaster who stirs the imagination needs to speak conversationally’.
In the context of J&K state, radio has a very special role in the given decades-long conflict situation. Radio played a pivotal role in negating the propaganda launched from across the border. But, unfortunately, the official electronic channels like Doordarshan and All India Radio in J&K state are not allowed to play a role beyond propaganda machines when compared with its counterparts in rest of the country.
During all these years of the conflict situation, medium of radio and television has been grossly misused, that too officially, as mere propaganda machines. When we analyse the functioning of Radio or Doordarshan as propaganda machines, it becomes clear that this style of functioning has not helped the cause of conflict resolution. In fact it has only aggravated the conflict.
Radio has a huge scope to become partners in peace and prosperity in the state. Why can’t we use radio for highlighting good things about our neighbouring countries. Presenting programmes about art, culture and other developmental aspects of our neighbouring countries will definitely help to shape positive thinking not only of our society, but will have an unmatched impact on the subjects of the countries bordering us. Same hold true about this kind of media operating across the borders.
Radio is a low-cost means of communication, not only especially suited to hard-to-reach communities and groups of society but also tremendously endeared to listeners worldwide for in-car listening, for real time weather or sports updates, for company deep into the night, and much other. Radio gives everyone, no matter what their level of education, a chance to join in. Furthermore, radio also is essential in emergency situations for access to trusted information even today since disasters may hit infrastructure or electricity and thereby bring to a halt other communications systems, such as Internet provision. Radio services evolved and are presently metamorphosing using digital technologies e.g., they become Visual Radio or multi-platform, offer their shows as podcasts or create audio series, giving listeners increased freedom on the choice of time and device to listen from.
