RADIO

Vineet Verma
Radio
 Radio is the most popular means of mass communication across the
globe today. It is exclusively a medium of the sound.
 It is a medium where a performer cannot see his/ her audience. And
the audience too cannot see the performer. That is why it is often
referred to as a “blind medium”.
 There is ample space for imagination just as a book has. It is also an
intimate medium, as the broadcaster always addresses the listener in
singular form as if he/she is talking to him alone. Because of this, the
listeners too feel a direct connect with the broadcaster.
 Radio has been used as an effective medium not only to inform and
educate people but has played a very important role in the
economic, political and cultural development of nations.
 It has the unique advantage of being receivable through low cost,
battery operated, portable sets, even in the rural areas.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RADIO
 Radio is a medium of the voice: You must be aware of
the epic story of ‘Mahabharata.’ In that, if you recall,
Sanjay had narrated in detail each and every turn/
event of the Mahabharata war to the visually impaired
King Dhritarashtra. By listening to Sanjay, Dhritarashtra
was able to visualize or “see in his mind” the horrors
of the war.
 The audio narration performs on the canvas of the
listener's mind and the mind can then construct any
period, any place. Radio is therefore exclusively a
medium of the sound and can make pictures in your
mind.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF RADIO
 Radio is an intimate medium: As earlier mentioned, the broadcaster
always addresses the listeners as if he is talking to him/her alone and
tries to build an instant rapport. The listeners too feel connected with
him, if he addresses issues close to their heart. Every broadcaster knows
that if the listeners do not like his programme, they will always have the
option of switching channels. Therefore, any programme—be it a talk
show, a documentary or a feature—must strike a chord with the listener,
right at the beginning.
 Radio as a mass medium: Though radio started as a communication
tool for the armed forces, it soon became popular among the masses.
The best part about radio is that it reaches millions of people at the
same time. The audience may comprise people from different
educational, social and cultural background. Radio has been serving not
only as an effective medium not only to inform and educate people but
also to promote their folk culture.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RADIO
 Radio breaks the literacy barrier: Radio is easily understandable to
the literates and the non-literates. Unless you are literate, you can not
read a newspaper or read captions or text on television. But for
listening to radio, you need not be literate. The illiterate person in a
remote village can be a regular radio listener.
 Radio is portable: Radio can be accessed on the move. The listener
need not to sit in one position to listen to the radio. You can listen to it
while doing your work or while driving. It can accompany you and
entertain you anywhere. Hence, it is a convenient medium.
 Radio is a low cost medium: Radio is an inexpensive medium. The
cost of production is low and a small radio can be bought for as low a
price as say, fifty rupees. Before the advent of television, radio was
the chief means of communication for people of all classes. However,
not everyone owned the radio sets. Many people listened to one radio
at the same time. Then transistor revolution spread the ownership of
radio sets in a rapid way.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RADIO
 Radio does not need electric power supply: You can listen
to radio using dry battery cells even if you do not have
electric power supply or a generator. While people in cities
spend their evenings watching television, in rural areas,
where there is no electricity or irregular supply of electricity,
people still prefer the radio for their entertainment.
 Radio is a medium of immediacy: Radio can deliver
messages instantly. It can be the first to report the
happenings while TV crew would take some time to reach
the spot. As things happen in a studio or outside, messages
can be sent or broadcast live. These messages can be
picked up by anyone who has a radio set or receiver which
is tuned into a radio station. Irrespective of our location, we
can listen to radio in the language of our choice.
COMPONENTS OF RADIO
BROADCASTING
 Talk • Music • Sound Effects
 These three components reach listeners through air
waves. They have to be pleasant and meaningful
to appeal to listeners.
 Every sound broadcast in radio creates an
impression on listeners. Every broadcast must leave
an artistic imprint or it goes to waste.
History of Radio
 Radio as a means of communication achieved prominence during the
World War II. It was used in military activities to communicate from one
base to the other and carried orders and commands.
 The technological development of radio was regarded as a
revolutionary discovery of the modern world. In 1887 German
Scientist, Heinrich Rudolf Hertz demonstrated that electromagnetic
waves can be transmitted through space and his name got attached to
denote the unit of radio frequencies.
 Italian engineer Gugleilmo Marconi received the first trans- Atlantic
wireless signal from England to Newfoundland in 1901.
 In the US in 1910 inventor Lee de Forest conducted live radio
broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York and it is
regarded as the landmark wireless voice and music transmission. These
random developments in various levels added to the growth of Radio
as the medium of the masses.
History of Radio
 In the West the development of radio as the medium of
dissemination of information was taken seriously. In fact
with the development of commercial broadcasting,
public service broadcasting was also taken up by the
state quite sincerely.
 The history of public service broadcasting is generally
traced to British Broadcasting Corporation of
England. The thrust of public service broadcasting is
still very much relevant in the Third World countries. But
in some countries, it has been referred to being the
mouth piece of the state rather than the public.
National Perspective
 Radio came to India during the British rule in the pretext of an
amateur experiment.
 In 1920 the Bombay Presidency Radio Club was established
by express support of Giachand Motwane. He is also credited
with the honour of being the first one to record and broadcast
radio programme in India.
 Broadcasting in India actually began about 13 years before
AIR came into existence. In June 1923 the Radio Club of
Bombay made the first ever broadcast in the country. This was
followed by the setting up of the Calcutta Radio Club five
months later.
 The Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) came into being on
July 23, 1927, only to face liquidation in less than three
years.
National Perspective
 In April 1930, the Indian State Broadcasting Service, under
the Department of Industries and Labour, commenced its
operations on an experimental basis.
 Lionel Fielden was appointed the first Controller of
Broadcasting in August 1935. In the following month
Akashvani Mysore, a private radio station was set up.
 First news bulletin broadcasted on January 19,1936 from AIR.
 On June 8, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service
became All India Radio.
 The Central News Organization (CNO) came into existence
in August, 1937. In the same year, AIR came under the
Department of Communications and four years later came
under the Department of Information and Broadcasting.
 AIR came under the Department of I&B on October 24,1941
National Perspective
 When India attained independence, there were six radio stations in
India, at Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Tiruchirappalli and
Lucknow. There were three in Pakistan (Peshawar, Lahore and
Dacca).
 AIR then had a coverage of just 2.5 % of the area and 11% of the
population.
 On July 20,1952 First National Programme of Music broadcasted
from AIR.
 In 1956 the name AKASHVANI was adopted for the National
Broadcaster. The Vividh Bharati Service was launched in 1957
with popular film music as its main component.
 On November 1,1967 Commercials on Vividh Bharati introduced.
 On July 23, 1977 first ever FM Service was inaugurated from
Madras.
AIR
 AIR follows a Three Tier Broadcasting system, as
follows:
1. First Tier Broadcasting provides national programs in
Medium Wave Amplitude Modulation (AM).
2. Second Tier Broadcasting provides programs for
regional and sub-regional stations listeners in their own
languages to promote their cultural facts.
3. Third Tier Broadcasting happens through Local Radio
Stations (LRS), which air programs in Frequency
Modulation (FM) wave in 420 AIR stations in each and
every small town throughout India.
AIR
 All India Radio has always been a pioneer and is in sync with growing
technology by broadcasting its programs through radio devices, mobile
devices, DTH, internet radio and smart phone applications.
 In AIR, there is a separate unit for news production, which is known as the
Air News Services Division and is in both Indian languages and foreign
languages.
 There are many sections in AIR for programming, including talks in Tamil and
English, education broadcast, law, western music, drama, children, folk
music, science, features, senior citizens, sports, light music, music, folk music,
Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, etc.
 The special audience programs are aimed at rural populations, youth, and
women and focus on topics such as health, farming, the home, family and
welfare.
 FM Rainbow operates in 18 FM channels from different regions for rural as
well as urban populations, whereas FM Gold programs are broadcast from
Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting
 The FM revolution in India is a striking instance of an old
medium reinventing itself in the face of major shifts in culture
and society.
 AM radio broadcasting, as we saw, was state-controlled,
national in scope and run as a public sector undertaking in
order to promote national integration and create an
informed citizenry.
 In the new regime of FM, radio stations were under private
ownership, local in terms of transmission, and run as profit-
and-loss centers answerable to investors and shareholders.
 Moreover, by rethinking the notions of entertainment and
audience, FM offered an alternative vision concerning the
role of radio in contemporary India.
Reasons for the transformation of
Radio
 The liberalization of the economy in the early
1990s;
 Developments in television broadcasting during the
period 1980–2000;
 The spread of a market culture that redefined the
nature of listening and consumption.
Privatization of FM Radio
 The technology was introduced in 1977, but the FM era
properly began in 2001 when India’s first private
station – Radio City, Bangalore – went on the air.
 Until 2000, AIR was the sole radio broadcaster in the
country. In the year 2000, looking at the changing
market dynamics, the government took an initiative to
open the FM radio broadcast for private sector
participation.
 In Phase-I of FM Radio, the government auctioned 108
FM radio channels in 40 cities. Out of these, only 21 FM
radio channels became operational and subsequently
migrated to Phase-II in 2005.
 Privatization of FM Radio
 Phase-II of FM Radio commenced in 2005 when a total of 337
channels were put on bid across 91 cities having population equal to
or more than 3 lakhs. Of 337 channels, 222 channels became
operational. At the end of Phase-II, 243 FM Radio channels were
operational in 86 cities.
 In Phase-III expansion of FM radio, 966 FM radio channels are to be
made available in 333 cities. In the first batch of Phase-III, 135
private FM Radio channels in 69 cities were put to auction in 2015.
Out of these, 96 FM Radio channels in 55 cities have been successfully
auctioned.
 In the second batch of Phase-III, 266 private FM Radio channels in 92
cities were put to auction in 2016. Out of these, 66 FM Radio channels
in 48 cities have been successfully auctioned.
FM broadcasting
 FM channel has gained popularity over the years. The
increased number of FM channels and 24 hours service
has helped the listener with the variety and efficiency.
 The radio has modified its strategy to woo the listener
and instead of broadcasting what they think is right,
they put more focus on what the viewer wants.
 The transformed radio intelligently categorizes the
programme and targets its audience knowing that
every individual has a particular interest at specific
periods of the day.
FM broadcasting
 Perhaps more significantly, FM programming has
become an ‘in thing,’ synonymous with youth culture
and modern lifestyles.
 FM programmes are catchy, fast and brash and in
general carry a mood of casualness and informality.
In the metropolitan cities, FM programmes are a
craze in paan shops [tobacco stands] and small
retail outlets, snack bars, city buses and taxis.
Nobody takes FM seriously and yet everyone listens
to it.
Radio in World Wars
Radio in WWI
 At the onset of World War I, radio was still in its infancy.
Army equipment was primitive, had a very short range.
 Military radio equipments were heavy and bulky. As a result,
the equipment was difficult to carry around on the battlefield,
even on mules and horses, which were still the military’s
primary mode of equipment transportation.
 The American army made some variations with the
development of a "horse-pack set," which used a hand
generator and was strapped to the side of a horse. The entire
radio transmitter and receiver, in size and design, resembled
a saddle.
 Radio made its debut years before World War I — it was
often used by ships transmitting messages via Morse code,
and in 1912, operators on the Titanic depended on radio to
communicate with other ships, and with onshore radio stations.
Radio in WWI
 The biggest improvements radio offered over message
systems like Morse code, were the speed and accuracy
afforded by the use of voice communication. Advances in
radio technology such as amplifiers and the electron
tube made reliable voice communication possible.
 The "wireless" (as early radio was sometimes called)
quickly proved invaluable to wartime efforts: Radio
operators with portable transmitters were able to warn
soldiers of an attack of poisonous gas, giving them time
to put on their gas masks.
 During the First World War, radio transmissions were
often less reliable than using wired telephones or
telegraphs.
American radio during WWII
 By the time the United States entered World War II, radio
technology had vastly improved from the equipment available in the
1910s. Vacuum tube radios, which just thirty years ago were bulky
and hard to carry, were now smaller. This paved the way for lighter
weight, portable, battery-operated transistor radios, encased in
metal, for military field use during World War II. In addition to
hand-held use by US soldiers on the ground, radios were now an
integral part of airplane, submarine, and tank communications.
Transmissions went greater distances and were more reliable, and
soon became a staple of the war effort.
 In order to make radio transmissions more secure, the US Marines
employed Navajo, one of the most complex Native American
languages, to send messages during World War II. The pilot project
began with just 30 Navajo “code talkers,” who soon helped develop
a virtually uncrackable symbols based in their native language
(including "Moustache Smeller" as a code name for Adolf Hitler).
American radio during WWII
 The radio has had a huge impact on bringing information to the
public about war and other government issues.
 During the World War II time period, 90 percent of American
families owned a radio, and it was a part of daily life. So it was an
obvious means of spreading war propaganda.
 During this time period, propaganda was spread throughout the
radio by means of news programs, public affairs broadcasts, as well
as through Hollywood and the mainstream.
 The average person had not even graduated high school at the time,
and the average reading level of the American was somewhat low.
 The radio made it possible for stories and news to be delivered to
everyone in plain simple English. The radio served as a medium that
provided a sense of national community. Although it took time, the
radio eventually rallied people together to back up the American
war effort.
Radio in Wartime
 The government began to air radio series programs, such as
“We hold these Truths” and “This is War!” Many of these
programs focused mainly on the enemy, describing the evil of
the Germans and giving very detailed descriptions of
concentration camps and stories heard from them.
 Reminding Americans of the “evil enemy” was one of the key
tactics to successful war propaganda. They also reminded
listeners of heroic wars from the past such as the
Revolutionary War and the Civil War.
 A very successful radio propaganda tactic used by the
government was the “you-technique.” They would add a
sense of drama to their shows by directly involving the
listener. The narrator would present life in the military from
an insider’s angle. They would talk as if the listener were
actually in a military camp, or actually in battle.
Radio in Wartime
 By personalizing the plot, the listener’s imagination was brought
to another level and each listener was given individual
attention. Besides trying to make the war personal for
Americans at home, the propaganda also tried to put the
listeners into the shoes of the soldiers fighting, and draw in a
sympathy factor.
 One key factor in the boom of radio as a popular medium
during the World War II period was the radio sponsors. Radio
stations got 70 percent of their budget from regional and
national advertisers, unlike newspapers which got 70 percent
from local advertisers.
 Americans were all supportive of the war, so companies would
link their product to patriotism to help boost sales. So in the
eyes of the people, even commercials were being helpful in a
time of war.
Propaganda
 According to Webster dictionary the spreading of
ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping
or damaging an institution, a cause, or a person.
 “Propaganda is indifferent to truth and truthfulness,
knowledge and understanding; it is a form of strategic
communication that uses any means to accomplish its
ends”. -Walter Cunningham
 “Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to
shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct
behavior to achieve a response that furthers the
desired intent of the propagandist”. -Garth Jowett and
Victoria O'Donnell
Nazi Propaganda
 In Germany, it was necessary for the Nazis to adapt their
propaganda to meet several agendas. The Nazi government had
only recently taken power and there was still tension between the
Nazis and socialists.
 Propaganda was important to unifying the German public and
preparing for actual battle. Primarily, it was important to convince the
German people of need for war by inflaming anger at other
countries over restrictions put on Germany, as well as through an
increase in national pride. Also, the Germans attempted to persuade
their citizens to increase production and further participate in the war
effort.
 The German government, attempting to carry out its genocide against
the Jews and other races, tried to play on the existing racial
prejudices among the masses. It was extremely important for the
German population to be desensitized enough that when the
deportment began no protests would be made. German propaganda
helped shape Germany into the efficient war machine that it began
during the war.
Nazi Propaganda
 German wartime propaganda utilized a variety of
forms in its delivery. Much of the propaganda was
implemented through the recently invented radio, as
well as through speeches from the main Nazi leaders.
 By establishing a rudimentary worship for the leader
figure, Adolf Hitler was established as the absolute
head of the government and to some a semi-deity. This
inspired the public to work harder and do more for the
country, having been convinced by the propaganda that
the war was a sort of holy quest or crusade.
Nazi Propaganda and Radio
 German radio propaganda was used many of the same techniques as
American radio propaganda, except it was straighter forward when
delivering the message.
 Hitler took complete control over what was aired on the radio. All
radio was pro Hitler and very anti-Semitic. Unlike American radio
propaganda at the time, the radio was less “fun” and more serious in
tone. Whereas American radio would mix news shows with comedy
shows and advertising, much of German radio at the time was news
briefs, shows that focused on the German country, or speeches made
to glorify Hitler and his beliefs.
 The most important new tool of Nazi propaganda was the radio
because Hitler believed it reached the German people directly. The
Nazis set up factories to build cheap radios like the 'people's receiver'
which cost only 35 RM. They made sure that the new radios had a
limited range so that they would only pick up the German stations that
the Nazis controlled. By 1939, 70% of German households had a
radio, which was three times the number in 1932 and the highest
percentage of any country in the world.
Nazi Propaganda and Radio
 One person that played a major role in Hitler’s Nazi radio
propaganda was Dr. Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels was a
strict follower and admirer of Hitler, and he made numerous
speeches and propaganda that continued to glorify Hitler.
He was so influential in speaking that Hitler eventually gave
him full power over all German radio, press, cinema, and
theater.
 Hitler said that good propaganda had little to do with the
truth unless it favored the Nazis. It concentrated on simple
messages and repeated them frequently. According to
Hitler, propaganda was better if heard rather than read,
and he was in fact successful in bringing pulling together
German people in support of the war.
Conclusion
 Both the United States and in Nazi Germany, radio
propaganda proved to be successful in finding the
support needed for World War II. However, the
concept behind each set of propaganda differed in
theme. The United States government tried to cover up
their propaganda effort by covering it up with
entertainment. Hitler, Goebbels, and German radio
made a direct approach to sending out their message.
Although very different in style and approach, the
radio propaganda effort by both the Germans and the
United States were very fitting for the attitudes of the
people at the time.
RADIO PROGRAMMING
RADIO PROGRAMMING
 Every broadcast station has its own time or duration of
being on air each day. Some are on air for 24 hours while
others operate for a number of hours less than 24.
 Each station has the liberty to determine which programme
comes up at what time, provided such programme meet the
desires of such audience. The plan of allocating
programmes according to time of the day and duration of
each programme is known as programming.
 Programmes are scheduled to take care of a variety of
programmes such as drama, sports, documentary, cultural
displays, discussions and a host of others. All these are
presented to meet the desires or for the consumption of the
stations audience.
Programme Creation
 Programme creation deals with both real-life and
imagined situations that need to be addressed. In
programme creation certain stages must be followed
these are:
(1) Programme Idea (2) Programme concept
(3) Programme Proposal (4) Packaging
(5) Programme Production (6) Programme Presentation.
Programme Idea
 Programme idea involves the selection and placement
of materials in a manner that ensures understanding by
the audience. The material should also have an appeal
to the audience.
 Ideas could be generated from personal imagination. In
whatever form it comes, the idea should be useful in
content the audience should be interested and
enthusiastic about it.
 The message such an idea has for the audience should
be important, to be able to attract attention from the
audience.
Programme Concept
 There are three basic concepts through which
programmes are created.
 Publicity, Propaganda and Public enlightenment
 Publicity- The station is the source of the news or
the programme. The station might have embarked
on an action which it wants the audience to be
informed about and nothing more.
 The station decides what is right for the audience.
The duty of the programme producer is to tell the
public the station’s point of view, issue concerned.
Programme Concept
 Propaganda:- This concept tends to use the descriptive
method to deal with the details of an issue and shows
how they relate to the cause, designed to be tackled. It
provides vital and valuable information about the
theme, which the programme addresses .
 For example, a documentary on young women suffering
from VVF (vescovaginal fistula) goes to show to talk
about the bad effects of early marriage on
underdeveloped girls and the de-humanizing and
frustrating situations in which these girls find themselves
because of their gender. It further shows that these girls
have no say in their marriage. They are just married off
at the instance of their parents.
Programme Concept
 Public Enlightenment - Society cannot deal with
particular situations unless members of the society
have relevant information pertaining to the
situation.
 In such a case only persons with adequate
knowledge would be given the opportunity to speak
on the issue, thus bringing awareness to the
generality of the people within the given community.
 The programme has to be educative and
informative in nature.
Programme Proposal
 According to Dominick everything starts with an idea. Stations do
receive hundreds of ideas every year, some come from independent
producers, some from television departments, some from network
employees and a good many from amateurs hoping to get a start.
 A programme conceiver, who believes that an idea is of interest to
an audience, sells the idea to the producer who evaluates the idea
in line with the established and accepted norms of the broadcast
station.
 A programme proposal tends to be a statement, often a written one
which is put forward for the accomplishment of a task. The statement
indicates the direction towards which the programme would go.
 It may not contain all the details but should be comprehensive
enough to give the producer an idea of what the scenario is all
about so that assessment would be made as to the requirements of
putting up such a programme.
Programme packaging
 Having taking into consideration, a programme
proposal, idea, concept the next step is the packaging
of the programme.
 At this stage, the producer already knows the reason
behind his programme. He then picks a format either
documentary, children, feature, entertainment, etc. it
should be noted that the format of a programme is
affected by the Idea and Concept.
 For instance, if a programme is designed in a
childrenish manner it will surely be meant for children
and not adults.
Programme Production
 After a programme is set up in its genres the next step is the
production of the programme.
 Programme production deals with how programmes are
finally produced and presented to the listeners. It deals with
the manipulation of the studio equipment to bring out the
desired output.
 It is this stage that requires the creativity of the producer in
terms of sound manipulation and other special effects. Here
programmes are edited in terms of recorded programmes in
order to give an attractive output.
 A producer is required to choose a special sound effect if the
programme is a drama programme. Effects like a knock on
the door, footsteps to indicate a scene, are all manipulated
properly to bring out the best of a production.
Programme Presentation
 This is the final stage in radio programme
production. It involves choosing the right presenter
for the right job. A musical programme should be
handled by a good Disk Jockey.
 Since there are several programmes in a radio
station, the producer should take note of each talent
and assign them an appropriate role. For instance,
Newscasters are meant to cast news. A good
presentation seeks to glue the listener, but a bad
presentation scares the listener.