Introduction to radio: blog tasks

 Read Media Factsheet #224 Understanding the Industrial Context of Radio. This will give you a wider perspective on industry contexts for radio with particular focus on the industry theorists (Hesmondhalgh, Curran & Seaton, Livingstone & Lunt). Answer the following questions: 

1) Read the first two pages of the factsheet. How does the Factsheet argue that radio still has cultural significance in the digital age? 

It argues that radio still has significance through the idea that radio is still popular and used significantly by other countries such as Africa where people still ave limited access to internet. It is also significant through the idea that it accompanies people in their car as well as the fact that different formats such as magazine format or advertising all started from radio. 

2) Look at the page 4 section on media theories. Briefly summarise the ideas of Curran and Seaton, Hesmondhalgh and Livingstone and Lunt.

Curran and Seaton - “Communities are diminished when they lose their local radio stations”. This could suggest the idea that when people who used to get their information from newspapers or the radio (not from internet or social media) they would lack cultural information that’s been happening. 

Hesmondhalgh - “The media put profit before creativity”. This could suggest that the producers focuses more on how much they’ll be able to sell their products or media texts without taking into consideration creativity that would be much more valued and appreciated by their audiences as there’s no point in producing texts that the audiences don’t want as this could further lead to them possibly losing their audience.

Livingstone and Lunt - “Media regulation should have a consumer-based approach”. This could suggest that the regulation in the media should also focus on the consumer’s perception. 

3) What is the definition of public service broadcasting?

Public service broadcasting refers to broadcasting intended for public benefit rather than to serve purely commercial interests.

4) Look at the list of eight key principles for BBC Radio on page 6 of the factsheet. Choose the three you think are most significant and explain why.

-Universal geographic accessibility – you can listen to radio anywhere in the country. -It doesn’t restrict audiences’ access to radio and they could still be able to rely on it anywhere they go.

-Universal appeal – across the board the programming will have something for all and everyone. -This allows different race and ethnicities to feel as though they’re part of the community as they would be able to personally identify to the content given to them. 

- Guidelines that liberate rather than restrict – enabling creativity. This benefits audiences’ consumption as they get genuine products from the producers as it shows how the producers focuses on the audience and how they acknowledge them.

5) What does the Factsheet suggest is the future of PSB radio? Do you agree?

The factsheet is suggesting that PSB radio does have a future for other countries such as Africa as they have limited access to the internet and so lack of access to streaming services. Also, the fact that people still uses the radio when in their car. However, I think that they may not have a future as streaming services and the internet as well as the development of technology is continuously evolving which could suggest that the radio may not be able to catch up as people can just use Spotify in their cars.