Here To Stay

shivi

RELEVANCE OF RADIO

First came the Walkmans to steal the music then the televisions to steal the stories. Walkmans ran their course some 30 years ago and today they question the relevance of television too. However, despite its discreet presence, the radio in all its humbleness has managed to cement its existence in society.

Simple technology has ensured that the accessibility of radio is unmatched. Dependent on radio magnetic waves, radio doesn’t require high speed internet or intricate machinery to allow communication. It serves as a medium for many communities to maintain contact with the outside world and acts as a crucial link during emergencies to provide real time updates.

The role of community radio in the development of societies can hardly be overemphasized. By providing crucial information on sustenance and development, radio has supported the transformation of several “backwards” communities into active and informed.

Radio has fostered communities and cultures for years with local stations putting community specific issues to the forefront. These local radio stations offer viewers detailed coverage of regional events, news and stories that have a more direct impact on their lives. This localized approach gives a platform to those stories that would otherwise be discarded in the wider media landscape.

In the world of visual media, radio puts into perspective the power that sound still holds. In the midst of a sensory whirlwind of visuals the faceless human voice seems to politely ask for the listener’s attention. Unlike many other forms of media, radio has maintained its distance from the “100 stories in 10 minutes” model, the goal instead is to humanize, sensitize and spread awareness.

Radio truly embodies simplicity in its finest form. Attempts are made not to make ground breaking headlines but to persevere as a vital bridge towards knowledge. Radio is here to stay as long as the need to spread information exists.