DIGITIZATION: EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF RADIO IN A CHANGING WORLD The advent of the digital technology in the twenty first century has not only brought about a qualitative leap in the production and distribution of media vehicles but also sparked up a total transformation of the communication chain. The new tools do not only allow journalists greater efficacy and rapidity, it also multiplied the consumption of information and the flexibility of personalizing their contents. In furtherance to the above, the effects of digitization has become significantly varied depending on whether we are referring to the press, radio or television hence, it is worth analyzing separately, beginning with the radio medium. Over the years, the technology of radio has some worth remained a mystery even to the learned and till date, the younger generation still wonders how possible it is to stuff humans inside a ‘magic box’. Radio as it were, was one of the earliest form of technology ever developed by man and its impact has continued to be felt around the world. Since its advent in 1886, a brain child of a German physicist, Heinrich Hertz, radio has continued to be seen as one of the most potent and reliable sources of information in the contemporary world. Despite the perceived threat posed by internet and new media, radio has continued to evolve, at least in form and formats. Structurally, the early radio was mostly referred to as the magic box due largely to its size and form. Today, this may not be entirely true as radio can be easily adapted as component parts of other gadgets like computer, television sets, wrist watches and even touch lights; the list is endless. In the same vain, the operating formats of the radio system has greatly evolved. Initially, radio signals were received as analogue – FM and AM – but now everything is has gone digital. Under the analogue transmission system, AM and FM ruled the airwaves and even at that, reception was greatly impeded by distance and weather conditions. The strength of analogue technology were neither adequate nor strong enough to deliver crystal clear audio signals, even to the teaming audience population who were anxious to enjoy quality broadcasting. Somehow, as against the AM transmission, the FM transmission seemed to provide some kind of succor but not enough to do away with the attendant frustrating shortcomings associated with analogue broadcasting. To a very large extent however, the Digital Audio Broadcasting is where radio broadcasting is headed in the 21st century. This platform, among many other advantages and advancement over the analogue system, offers near total elimination to all the inefficiencies and frustrations experienced in the analogue broadcast format. DAB guarantees excellent voice clarity, strong audio signal, minimal weather interference, screen scroll capability, station display and internet access among many others. DAB+ in turn, offers the audience more insight and freedom to choose among preferred programs and even record at will by the use of a scroll button. While the total digitization of radio is an unknown quantity, Internet has been crowned as the next stage in the evolution of the medium. The possibility of listening to the radio by asynchronic means (through files uploaded onto the web which can be consumed when the listener so desires) gives more life to some programs, which previously expired in the present. Similarly, it has become popular to listen to direct broadcasts or podcasts while working on a PC. Thematic radio has thus discovered a form of expansion on the Internet where thematic channels have since left the realm of conjecture with the digitization of the radio medium. Beyond structure and form, Radio presentation has equally transformed from the hitherto student-lecturer experience to a much more instantaneous interactive relationship. Before now, stations presenters were known to speak authoritatively over the heads of the listeners, in a most sophisticated baritone voice hence, humbling the audience to overt passivity. Even when there was opportunity for feedback, it was only done to fulfill all righteousness. Today, with the infusion of technological elements such as sms, twits and telephony alongside a live broadcast, radio has no doubt emerged as one of the most interactive media in contemporary times. Very obviously, radio has surpassed its traditional roles of informing, educating and entertaining the audience to becoming a problem solving medium in developing economies; offering diverse assistance to listeners at various locations and circumstances. A listener can now call into a live program to make inquiries or seek a direction into a city center, traffic situation around town, or dates of important events with full assurance of immediate response. Those were feats not likely to be associated with earlier broadcasting. In a certain RayPower program monitored in Lagos, a very excited listener called into a live musical program to appreciate the presenter for the good choice of musical selections and afterwards, used the opportunity to request for some financial assistance. In response, the very mature presenter demanded for the bank account details of the caller with a promise to look into the issue after the program. Whether the demand was eventually met or not may not be important here, but at least, we have an understanding of how radio impacts a contemporary audience. A similar scenario played out when an aggrieved spouse called into a live program on WAZOBIA FM to air his frustration with his wife’s perceived insensitivity to his feelings on a particular issue. Instantly, the presenter tabled the matter on air and asked for opinions from listeners. In between the program, a call was put across to the wife at a different location and she equally aired her position on the burning issue. At the end, the presenter promised to follow up on the couple and give a feedback on subsequent editions of the program. On the following edition, the couple called the station to air their sincere appreciations for the way and manner listeners helped to avert what could have led to a permanent collapse of a ten-year old union. The foregoing were some evidences to show that indeed, radio has outlived the visions and dreams of the founding fathers while still evolving. Let s know how the medium has affected your world too! Patrick Ezeh.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:26:45 +0000
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