1
BLOCK 1
RADIO JOURNALISM
7
BLOCK 2
TELEVISION JOURNALISM
71
BLOCK 3
ONLINE JOURNALISM
137
Indira Gandhi National Open University
(School of Journ alism and New Media Studies)
MJM – 023
BROADCAS
T
AND
ONLINE JOURNALISM
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Radio Journalism: A Comprehensive Guide to News Gathering and Production, Thesis of Journalism
A comprehensive overview of radio journalism, covering its history, characteristics, writing techniques, news gathering processes, and production methods. It explores the evolution of radio from its early days to its modern interactive form, emphasizing the importance of clear, concise writing, effective news gathering, and engaging presentation. The document also delves into the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the audio medium, highlighting the importance of voice, sound effects, and music in creating compelling radio content.
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BLOCK 1
RADIO JOURNALISM 7
BLOCK 2
TELEVISION JOURNALISM 71
BLOCK 3
ONLINE JOURNALISM 137
Indira Gandhi National Open University (School of Journalism and New Media Studies) MJM – 023
BROADCASTAND
ONLINE JOURNALISM
EXPERTS COMMITTEE
Prof. Biswajit Das, Director, CCMG, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi Prof. Madhu Parhar Director, STRIDE, IGNOU Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh Former Director, SOJNMS IGNOU Dr. K.S. Arul Selvan Associate Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU Dr. Amit Kumar Assistant Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU Prof. B.K. Kuthiala Former VC, MLCRPV, Bhopal Prof. Usha Raman S. N. School of Arts & Communication, University of Hyderabad Hyderabad Prof. B.P. Sanjay Former VC, CUTN, PVC Univ. of Hyderabad, Hyderabad Prof. G. Ravindran Head, Department of Communication University of Madras, Chennai Mr. Shastri Ramachandran Editor and Columnist, New Delhi Prof. Usha Rani Former Head Deptt. of Comm. & Journalism Mysore University Ms Mahalakshmi Jayaram Senior Dy. Editor The Hindu Chennai Dr. Vipul Mudgal Senior Journalist and Author New Delhi Prof. Subhash Dhuliya Former Director, SOJNMS, IGNOU Dr. Kiron Bansal Associate Professor SOJNMS, IGNOu Dr. Shikha Rai Assistant Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU Prof. J.S. Yadav Former Director, IIMC New Delhi Prof. Kiran Thakur Former Head, Deptt. of Communication & Journalism Savitribai Phule, Pune University, Pune Prof. Iftekhar Ahmed Director, MCRC, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi Ms Sevanti Ninan Senior Journalist & Founder Editor, The Hoot, New Delhi Prof. Jaishri Jethwaney Former Head, ADPR IIMC, New Delhi Ms Pamela Philipose Senior Journalist and Author New Delhi Prof. Gita Bamezai Head Dept. of Comm. Research, IIMC, New Delhi Mr. K. Ravikanth Director, EMPC, IGNOU Dr. O. P. Dewal Associate Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU Dr. Ramesh Yadav Assistant Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU Ms. Padmini Jain Assistant Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU
PROGRAMME COORDINATORS: Dr. Kiron Bansal MA (JMC) &
Dr. Shikha Rai (PGJMC)
COURSE COORDINATOR: Dr. Amit Kumar
BLOCK 1 PREPARATION TEAM
Unit1: Dr. Shaswati Goswami Indian Institute of Mass Communication New Delhi Unit 2: Mr. L. S. Bajpayee Former DDG, AIR, New Delhi Content Editor: Dr. Rajeev Shukla Former DDG, AIR, New Delhi Block Coordinator: Dr. O.P. Dewal Associate Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU Unit 3 & 4: Mr. Sebastian Robert Former Director News AIR, New Delhi Unit 5: Dr. O.P. Dewal Associate Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU Unit6: Dr. Sunil Kumar Das Dy. Director, EMPC, IGNOU Unit 8: Mr. Manish Kumar Kapoor Deputy Executive Producer Aaj Tak Block Editor & Co-ordinator: Dr. Amit Kumar Assistant Professor SOJNMS, IGNOU Language Editor: Dr. Usha Chandar Research Officer SOJNMS, IGNOU Unit 7 & 9: Mr. Dheeraj Kumar Agarwal Associate Executive Producer Star Sports Unit10: Ms. Gurmeet Kaur Assistant Professor, Amity University, Greater Noida Campus, U.P. & Dr.Amit Kumar, SOJNMS, IGNOU
BLOCK 2 PREPARATION TEAM
COURSE INTRODUCTION: BROADCAST & ONLINE JOURNALISM Broadcast (Radio & TV) and online media play very crucial role in the field of journalism. As a student of mass communication, and as a future practitioner in the field, it is essential that you are exposed to broadcast and online journalism. The Course MJM 023 Broadcast & Online Journalism has been developed as foundational course in a systematic way to take you through the step by step process of news production for radio, television and online media. It is presented in three blocks comprising 15 units covering a range of issues in news production for radio, television and online platforms. Block 1: Radio Journalism addresses the different aspects of Radio Journalism. Unit 1 introduces the radio as a medium; Unit 2 focuses on the writing for radio news; Unit 3 describes the news gathering process for radio news bulletins; Unit 4 talks about the production process of radio news and current affairs programmes; and Unit 5 discusses the presentation skills for radio news. Block 2: Television Journalism deals with the various areas of TV journalism. Unit 6 introduces the concept of television as a medium; Unit 7 talks about the writing for audio-visual medium, i.e., television; Unit 8 describes the concept ofTV news and the world of television journalism; Unit 9 explains the whole production process of TV news programmes; and at the last, Unit 10 discusses the presentation techniques for television news and current affairs programmes. Block 3: Online Journalism covers the different aspects of online news media. Unit 11 introduces the basic elements of online journalism; Unit 12 focuses on the writing for online news platforms; Unit 13 talks about the structure and functioning of the newsrooms of online news organizations; Unit 14 discusses the process of content production for online media; and the last unit, Unit 15 describes how to create a news website. We hope that you will find the course content informative and useful, and after completing this course, you should be able to: describe the different characteristics and formats of radio, television and online journalism; discuss the production process of news and current affairs programmes for broadcast and online media; and develop writing and presentation skills for broadcast and online media.
Indira Gandhi National Open University (School of Journalism and New Media Studies) MJM – 023
BROADCASTAND
ONLINE JOURNALISM
Block
RADIO JOURNALISM
UNIT 1
Radio: A Sound Medium 7
UNIT 2
Writing for Radio 21
UNIT 3
News Gathering Process for Radio 34
UNIT 4
News Production 46
UNIT 5
Presentation Technique 59
UNIT 1 RADIO: A SOUND MEDIUM
Structure
- 0 Introduction
- 1 Learning Outcomes 1.2 Radio Technology and Growth 1.2.1 Analogue and Digital 1 .3 Characteristics of Radio 1 .3. 1 Audio Medium
- 2 Radio as an Intimate Medium 1.3.3 Literacy is not a Barrier 1.3.4 Blind Medium vs. Theatre of the Mind 1 .4 Elements of Radio 1.4.1 Voice (Spoken Word) 1.4.2 Music 1.4.3 Sound Effects 1.4.4 Pause 1.5 Audience 1 .6 Sound Effects in Radio Programmes 1.7 Music in Radio Programmes 1.8 The Role of Script in Radio Programmes 1 .9 Strengths and Weaknesses of Radio 1 .9. 1 Strengths of Radio as a Medium of Mass Communication 1 .9. 2 Weaknesses of Radio 1 .10 Looking at the Future 1.10.1 New Platforms for Radio 1.10.2 Changing Audience Profile 1.10.3 Increasing Interactivity 1 .11 Let Us Sum Up 1 .12 Further Readings 1 .13 Check Your Progress: Possible Answers
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This is the first unit of Block 1 where we will be introducing you to radio. How it was initially put to use more as a medium for the military and eventually has been used for the entire population across the world. Before we go into the details of the core issue i.e. Radio Journalism, we need to first properly understand- what is radio? We know that all of you have been exposed to radio in some way or other and believe that you know what is radio. As a student of Journalism and Mass Communication, you need to be familiar
Radio Journalism (^) with the nuances of the medium and therefore we will discuss all basic aspects of radio in this unit.
1.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES
After going through this unit you should be able to: describe the characteristics of radio; explain the elements of radio; explain the importance of sound effects; enumerate the strengths and weaknesses of radio as a medium; and outline the future trends in radio broadcasting.
1.2 RADIO TECHNOLOGY AND GROWTH
Radio is actually the technology of transmitting audio signals over radio waves from one point to other, wirelessly. However, when we talk of radio we tend to think about it as only a gadget, through which we get information, education and entertainment. Most of the times we forget that radio broadcasts are created through a complex technology. It was invented by Guglielmo Marconi (among others, Indian physicist Jagadish Chandra Bose too made a major contribution to early radio research). Radio was used in both the World Wars as a very successful means of military communication. But, the technology got established as a medium of public communication after the World War I. In India, radio clubs in Bombay and Madras started broadcasting as early as 1923 but organised regular broadcasting started only from 23 July, 1927 when the first radio station was inaugurated in Bombay by Lord Irwin. The Indian Broadcasting Company which owned the station had to wind up its operations in
- However, soon the Government took broadcasting in its hands and from April 1930, the Indian Broadcasting Service, under the Department of Industries and Labour, commenced its operations on an experimental basis. On June 8, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio. During World War II the use of radio became more diversified. Over and above the usage in military communication, radio was extensively used for propaganda by both the parties in war. By that time civilian radio had also become an established phenomenon in many parts of the world. Shortly after the outbreak of the World War II in 1939, German radio stations regularly started broadcasting for India, primarily in Hindustani as well as in various other regional languages. These news broadcasts routinely and intentionally exaggerated the truth, withheld crucial information, and/or broadcast downright false stories, both about the war in Europe and about developments in India. That was also the time when the Azad Hind Radio and Congress Radio started resorting to political message dissemination. Azad Hind Radio was a radio service that was started in Germany in 1942 under the leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose, in a bid to encourage Indians to fight for freedom. Similarly, Indian National Congress also operated a radio namely the Congress Radio. After Mahatma Gandhi and other Congress leaders were arrested on 9th^ August, 1942 at the launch of Quit India movement, the idea of starting the Congress Radio took
Radio Journalism (^) Digital: The Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) technology is an outcome of European research project which had begun in the 1980s. The first DAB channel was launched in 1995 by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which was closely followed by Swedish Radio and BBC. Since 1990s DAB receivers have been available in many countries across the world. The most positive quality of DAB is that in a given bandwidth it can offer more spectrum than in analogue mode. However, it is important that the recording of the content is also done in the same bit-rate, or else the sound quality would fall. DAB reception is extremely compatible with mobile audio listening. In case of DAB when the signal strength reaches a certain level the quality deteriorates rapidly, whereas in the case of analogue the quality deteriorates slowly. According to available data, 41 countries around the world are functioning in DAB as of 2018. As mentioned earlier, Norway was the first country to launch DAB and in 2017 it also became the first country to completely switch national broadcasting to DAB and give up analogue technology. Besides DAB, digital radio broadcasting has also been standardised through another standard called Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). The DRM Consortium is an international not-for-profit organisation comprised of broadcasters, network providers, transmitter and receiver manufacturers, universities, broadcasting unions and research Institutes (https://www.drm.org/about-us/our-role-and-mission/). All India Radio has also adopted the international DRM model and a few MW and SW transmitters of AIR are also broadcasting on Digital platform.
1.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF RADIO
Every medium has its own characteristics which differentiates it from other media. To understand a medium is to understand its characteristics. We can enumerate the following as the characteristics of radio:
1 .3. 1 Audio Medium
Radio is a medium which caters to only one sensory organ i.e. the ears or the auditory organ. That is why radio is called an audio medium which can be used and utilised even while we are doing other activities like, driving, cooking, cleaning etc. Everything in radio is about sound: music, voice, songs etc.
1.3.2 Radio-An Intimate Medium
The communication over radio is viewed as a very intimate process. The connection that a listener feels with the programme is very close and friendly. That is why radio presenters have always had a large fan following. Legendary names like Devki Nandan Pandey, Ameen Sayani, Melville de Mellow and some of the contemporary presenters (now popular as RJs) have a special place in the hearts of their listeners. I am sure you also have your own favourite RJs. When one listens to the radio one has the feeling of listening to a friend, who is talking to you. That is why it is now considered better to address the listener in singular form as ‘my dear listener’ rather than ‘listeners’.
1.3.3 Literacy-Not a Barrier
Unlike newspapers, radio is regarded as the medium of the poor and the illiterates. A radio listener need not be literate to understand what is being said. Moreover,
as the language of radio communication is that of the spoken word (as opposed to the written word) it is easy for the people to understand it.
1.3.4 Blind Medium vs. Theatre of the Mind
It is often said that radio is a blind medium as it does not have visuals to support it. This in fact is the strength of radio and not a weakness, because the visuals can be imagined by the listeners according to their sensibility and imagination. Thus till one watched the Indian epic Mahabharata on television, one was free to imagine how big Bheem was and how much he ate. But with Mahabharata being broadcast on television Bheem became a six feet something man next door. That is why radio is called “the theatre of the mind”. Since it engages the mind of the listener, it is also called a ‘hot’ medium.
1.4 ELEMENTS OF RADIO
As mentioned earlier, radio is a medium of sound, which comprises of – most importantly, voice, music and sound effects.
1.4.1 Voice (Spoken Word)
It is invariably the human voice which connects with the audience over radio. It is the voices of newsreader/presenter/anchor/RJ that we respond to on radio. They provide a personality to the programme with which we can connect and identify. In case of radio drama, the voices of various drama artists lend it the dramatic variation required. In case of news the perfect pronunciation, intonation and control of the voice makes the news understandable. Therefore voice or spoken word is an essential element of radio. For every programme there is a radio show script. Though it may seem that the narrative is flowing naturally on your favourite radio station but be sure that a radio show script is being used. Most radio shows are live and to avoid any goof up a good script for the guests and presenters is very handy and useful.
1.4.2 Music
Most of the radio stations are popular because of the music being played. This is why the style of music each station plays is defined by the music policy of the station catering to the target audience of the station. This becomes the identity of the station and differentiates it from other music stations. Music is also important as a background music, interlude or change over music and at times is used to create special sound effects.
1.4.3 Sound Effects
Sound effects are crucial in creating the atmosphere and ambience. We shall discuss more about these in detail later in this unit. In short, good audio content is something that keeps listeners engaged and eager for more. Sound effects are one of the major constituents that are required to wake any audio programme interesting and engaging.
1.4.4 Pause
Just like spoken word, pause is equally important to convey meaning in a stream of spoken words. Appropriate pauses make the speech effective and attractive wherein the listener is able to comprehend what is spoken. Sometimes in dramatic Radio: A Sound Medium
- What are the elements of Radio? ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................
- What do you understand by target audience? ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................
1.6 SOUND EFFECTS IN RADIO PROGRAMMES
Sound effects are the backbone of any radio programme. These create the ambience and help us locate the programme in a particular mood and place. For example, to create the feel of a road journey we shall use the sounds of a moving car, horn and other such ambient sound effects. These can be used for such things as setting and place, conveying action, solving certain narrative problems and evoking characteristics. Effects should sound as though they are being heard by the character. Dubbing adds extra sound effects or brings disparate sounds together. However, care should also be taken that the sound effects do not dominate the narration/ dialogue, if any. Sound effects can be categorised as: a) Natural sound or Nat sound, is not created but is present naturally while the recording is happening. These are usually present during recording in outdoor locations. However, during such recordings it should be carefully monitored that the Nat sounds do not create noise and thereby reduce the quality of the recording. Nowadays, very sophisticated microphones are also available to catch Nat sound without creating noise. b) Recorded sound effects: These come from the sound effects bank of any radio station. Once upon a time radio professionals used to travel to different locales to collect varieties of sound effects. Certain sound effects were also created during the recording process. For example if the scene in a radio drama requires that a character is drinking tea then the clinking sound of a cup being lifted and put down on the plate was created in the studio using a cup and a plate as that gives it an authentic feel. In fact old drama studios always had a sound room attached to it to make the recording process smooth. Nowadays stock sound effects are easily available free of cost on the Internet. Created sound effects can be of many verities: a) Ambience : It creates the sense of place, ‘where’ the action is happening and even ‘when’ or which time of the day or night. It is a very subtle form of effect which needs much nuanced editing. b) Discreet or spot effects : Indicates the range of usual action of a particular event. Say there is a meeting going on; the sound of paper moving, something being written on the paper, or even coughing or muttering will all be discreet or spot sound effects. Radio: A Sound Medium
Radio Journalism (^) c) Crowds : These sounds do not carry any meaning except locating the event in a particular space. For example the market space crowd sound will be different from the crowd sound in a meeting or a wedding or in a cricket match. Hence a lot of care is required to create suitable sound of crowds.
1.7 MUSIC IN RADIO PROGRAMMES
Music is the mainstay of radio. The ideal ratio of spoken word to music programmes is regarded as 30:70. Film songs, folk songs and classical music both vocal and instrumental are various types of music which we hear on radio. Radio programmes also use short pieces of music as signature tunes or theme music for various programmes to give the programme an identity as well as to differentiate one programme from the other. Signature tune is also used to attract the attention of listener to the programme. Stations also have musical identification tunes. All India radio transmission’s opening signature tune, composed in Raag Shivaranjini , was the creation of a Jewish refugee named Walter Kaufmann. A Czech national, he had fled to India from the Nazis and was the director of music programmes at AIR from 1937-46. Music augments the quality of programmes in the following ways: a) It adds vibrancy to any spoken word programme and helps in the flow of the programme to keep the listeners glued to it. b) It helps in breaking the monotony of any programme. As radio is only appealing to the auditory organ of a person, sometimes a programme can feel monotonous. This is more so in the case of talks and discussions and sometimes in the case of news too. However, it needs to be kept in mind that usage of music should be appropriate to the tone and tenor of the programme. c) It is used to create effects of happy or unhappy feelings, fear or joy in the programme. In other words, music is used in radio to create and communicate emotions, for example sad music for sad emotions, bright music for happy emotions and sombre music for serious emotions. d) Music can suggest scenes and locations. For example, if you have to create the ambience of a bright early morning situation, this can be done by playing a pleasing note on the sitar/flute/piano along with the sound of chirping birds or maybe a devotional song. e) It can express actions too. A fast music can suggest fast movement of a character or situation. Activity – 1 Listen to a drama, feature or any other programme broadcast by your favourite radio station. List the categories of music used, its purpose and comment on its appropriateness.
1.8 THE ROLE OF SCRIPT IN RADIO
PROGRAMMES
A radio script ensures the flow and continuity of a programme. It is the basic guideline or framework that an anchor/RJ/presenter has to follow. As time is very
Radio Journalism (^) g) Cost effective advertising: With advertising on radio, a brand can dominate its category with relatively less spending. Any brand can be established through this medium with very low cost, as the production cost of radio advertisements is quite low compared to film or TV. h) Good supplementary medium. Radio is a good supplementary medium and can add-to other media in message transmission. Have you ever thought why people listen to radio commentary while watching a match on TV? i) It is the ideal and most effective medium for visually challenged.
1 .9. 2 Weaknesses of Radio
a) No visual support. As mentioned earlier, radio is a medium meant for the auditory organ, i.e., ears. This might lead to loss of information if there is distraction within a programme. Visuals can hold the viewers to the programme, but with only audio people might get distracted leading to a loss of information. b) Sometimes due to channel surfing reception of messages might be incomplete. This is more relevant when we tune in to radio for music. If a station is giving out some message, as we are more interested in the music, we might tend to change the station and in the process lose out on the message. c) Most of the time it is difficult to provide lengthy information in a programme. If a radio programme wants to give a lot of details of a fact, it might become too long and boring. d) It may not be suitable for demonstration or skill development. Likewise it cannot lucidly present statistics or complex data. e) Messages might be easily forgotten. As it is not easy to go back to the programme, unlike a newspaper, there is ample chance of forgetting the message. Check Your Progress 2 Note : 1) Use the space provided below for your answers.
- Compare your answers with those given at the end of this unit.
- What are the strengths of radio in comparison to television as a broadcast medium? ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................
1 .10 LOOKING AT THE FUTURE
Invention of radio was a scientific and technological marvel and the evolution of radio over the past century has seen wonderful new strides in broadcast technology. From the days of amplitude modulation to frequency modulation, radio has consistently made use of and benefitted from technological advancements. From
the bulky and heavy radio sets of yore to adoption of mobile telephony for reception, radio has seen and successfully met many challenges.
1.10.1 New platforms for Radio
It has been reported extensively in India that the number of transistor sets being bought has come down drastically. Now people are increasingly using Radio in cars and on mobile phones. Satellite Radio, direct to home (DTH) radio through set-top boxes have been there for a while. All India Radio has many channels on Doordarshan’s DTH platform. The latest avenue that has come up in a very big way is broadcasting through Internet. Many listeners around the world have started using internet radio. In India too, All India Radio has adopted it in a big way with live streaming of many of its channels which can be heard on computers as well as mobile apps. Radio content is also becoming available through podcasting or ‘audio on demand’ which provides listeners the facility to listen to their favourite programmes at a time of their own convenience. Even on website of All India Radio and some other popular broadcasting organisations audio versions of the news and certain other programmes are available (along with texts to make these accessible to the hearing impaired also). Though it is not the radio that we have known traditionally but it is radio in its new avatar. Similarly websites like Pandora, Spotify and many others have added podcasting to the world of radio in a big way and this has become an important space now.
1.10.2 Changing Audience Profile
Radio has seen massive changes in its audience profile through the ages. When radio started in India in 1920s, it was a costly gadget. The receiving sets were expensive and people had to pay a regular licence fee. It was a box like apparatus and needed electricity to run. Initially the programmes were meant for people who were urban, well off and educated. However, with radio coming under the government ambit and particularly after India attained independence in 1947, the programmes were created for the entire population including the socio-economically disadvantaged sections. The most democratic change in radio programming came when it became mobile through transistor. It liberated radio from having to sit in one corner of the house and made it possible for it to move around. Moreover, the dependence on electricity was eradicated. Next liberation in radio in India happened when government lifted the provision of licence fee and made it free for all. In independent India, the government regarded radio as the medium for development communication and that led to further democratisation of the audience profile. Next change came with the proliferation of the private FM channels. These stations are targeted towards the comparatively younger and urban, upwardly mobile audience with substantial purchasing power. Community radio movement has now taken strong roots in our country and that means micro-level programming for specific communities. Thus we can see the progressive change of the audience profile through the times.
1.10.3 Increasing Interactivity
Some of the increasingly common two-way interactive radio features include: Digital Displays: Information such as date, time, network, battery status, and menu options are presented on digital displays that make important information Radio: A Sound Medium
1 .13 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS: POSSIBLE
ANSWERS
Check Your Progress 1
- Following are the basic characteristics of radio: Audio medium : Radio can only be heard and not seen. It caters only to the auditory senses and can be used while doing other activities like, driving, cooking, cleaning etc. It’s an intimate medium : When listening to a radio the listener feels connected to the programme as well as the programmes because the content is presented like a one-to-one conversation. This makes the whole process intimate for the audience. Literacy is not a barrier : A radio listener need not be literate. Unlike the print medium, radio uses spoken word and not the written word. Blind Medium: It does not have any visuals. It caters to the imagination of a listener and each listener can create their own visuals in their mind while listening to a programme.
- Radio has four main elements: Spoken word (Voice): The spoken word delivered through the voice of the presenter is what connects a listener to a show. It is thus, the most important part of radio communication. Music: Is the mainstay of radio entertainment. Different genres of music for different audience create a unique identity for each channel. It is also important in other radio programmes to establish context, location, etc. Sound Effects: These are crucial to create the atmosphere and ambience in any radio programme. Pause/ Silence: These are as important as the spoken word. Appropriate pauses at appropriate places make the speech effective and help in better comprehension.
- Every programme cannot appeal to a universal audience. Different programmes appeal to different segments of audience according to their age, gender, occupation, etc. Thus, radio programming is done keeping in mind a particular set of audience in mind, which the show will attract. This set of audience is referred to as target audience. Check your Progress - 2
- Radio in India reaches almost 99% of the population. It is a mobile and inexpensive medium that does not need electricity. It provides quick information and is the most suitable medium for the visually challenged. Check your Progress - 3
- a) Rapid advances in technology have led to increase in the two way communication feature of radio. Information is available through digital displays. Bluetooth technology allows for hands free communication Radio: A Sound Medium
Radio Journalism (^) and text messaging allows for interaction. The phone-in format has been popular for a long time and allows for feedback, special requests, questions, etc. to be sent in by the listeners. b) When radio was introduced as a medium of communication it was expensive, bulky and required electricity to run. Through the years this has changed. This has led to a change in the audience profile of the medium. From being a medium of the rich it has become a medium for the poorest of poor. People of all segments of life have access to it and use it for information gathering and entertainment.