Trainee's Learnings from Field visits of RADIO STATIONS

Radio : Matching frequency since ages 

REPORT by Akash Thapa, Lucknow

Radio, a powerful medium of communication that has been around for over a century, has played a significant role in shaping the world we live in today. Radio in India has been a part of the country's cultural heritage for over 80 years. It has been a medium of entertainment, information, and education. So here in this article, we will explore the role of radio and its impact on Indian citizens, accumulating the experience of two interactional visits we had with the teams of Radio Jaighosh 107.8 FM, a community radio started recently by the Cultural Ministry of Uttar Pradesh, and Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM of times group.

What is Radio and Its Elements?

Before pondering over the visits, let's just have a brief understanding of radio and its elements.

Radio is a wireless communication system that uses electromagnetic waves to transmit information. A medium of mass communication that has the ability to reach millions of people simultaneously and connect the message of the communicator, radio, has several elements that make it a unique medium of communication. The three essential elements of radio are the transmitter, the receiver, and the message. The transmitter holds the responsibility of converting the message into electromagnetic waves, which are then transmitted through the air. The receiver is responsible for receiving those electromagnetic waves and converting them back into the original message, and the message is nothing but the content that is transmitted through the radio waves.

The two worlds of wonder (Web radio vs. community radio)

Web radio and community radio are two different types of radio broadcasting. Web radio is an online radio station that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. It is a global medium that has the potential to reach millions of listeners. Community radio, on the other hand, is a local radio station that serves a specific community. It is a platform for the community to express their views and opinions. While web radio has a global reach, community radio has a local impact. Both types of radio have their advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to the listener to decide which one they prefer.

In our interactions at both the radio studios, we got to know the perks and hardships of both worlds. Mirchi, a commercial setup of broadcasting, aligned their content and infrastructure in such a way that every time there's something new in the broadcasting sector, they are willing to change accordingly and transform, whereas Jaighosh, a community radio, was setup mostly in the lines of welfare accordance to build or reform a progressive and thoughtful society of harmony.

Voices of the unheard

Radio Jockeys (RJs) are the voice of radio. They are responsible for creating and delivering content to listeners. RJs have a technical and social responsibility to ensure that the content they deliver is of high quality and meets the expectations of their listeners. The technical responsibility of an RJ is to ensure that the sound quality is good, and the content is delivered without any distortion. The social responsibility of an RJ is to ensure that the content is socially responsible and does not offend any community or group of people.

For such issues RJs have different solutions to this problem: in Jaighosh, they pre-record their shows and public interactions, and in Mirchi, a private commercial set up, the content is on air with a 4 to 7 second delay, to edit the fouls.

But one particular thing common to both of these stations is the prowess of their voices and their skills to present their content with ease, which creates an image for listeners.

The Role of Voice Modulation in the World of Radio

Voice modulation is an essential element of radio. It is the art of changing the tone, pitch, and pace of the voice to create an impact on the listeners. Voice modulation is used to create an emotional connection with the listeners and to keep them engaged. It is also used to convey different emotions and moods. Voice modulation is a skill that is developed over time and is an essential tool for RJs.

The prowess of voices we sought and found in both of these setups was just unimaginably beautiful to hear and pleasing RJ Samreen and RJ Prateek are both products of the University of Lucknow and are displaying their skills in two polar dimensions, but still with pleasure.

The clash of the past and future in the present

Discussing the concepts of radio and podcasts, which are two popular forms of audio entertainment. In a conversation with Mr. Radhe Shyam Dixit in Jaighosh, he proposed that we can easily differentiate radio as a live broadcast that is transmitted over the airwaves, which is a mass medium that has been around for over a century. Podcasts, on the other hand, are pre-recorded audio shows that are distributed over the internet. They are available for download and can be listened to at any time. While radio is a live broadcast, podcasts offer the flexibility to listen to shows at any time. Similarly, the new, young, and talented RJ from Mirchi, RJ Khushboo, added during her meet-up with Janmanas News Trainee reporters that radio has a wider reach while podcasts offer a niche audience. Both forms of audio entertainment have their advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to the listener to decide which one they prefer.

Radio from the Point of View of Listeners

Radio has been an integral part of the lives of Indian citizens for over 80 years, and no other mode of mass communication has been able to come close when we analyse it in terms of reach. It has been a medium for the promotion of Indian music, art, and culture. Radio has also been a medium for the promotion of social causes and has been used to create awareness about various issues. A communication tool that made a society thrive in development with education, strive for excellence, and dare to dream when it comes to sports, building an aptitude towards cultural and communal harmony, and lastly, bridging the gap of information disparity between the people of different classes.

The future is here...

In conclusion, we can say, the future of radio is exciting and promising. As technology continues to evolve, so does the radio industry. One of the future trends in radio is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and voice assistants. Listeners will be able to interact with radio stations using voice commands. Another trend that we saw in both stations, Jaighosh and Mirchi, is the rise of podcasting, which is expected to continue to grow in popularity. Radio stations are also expected to increase their online presence with more live streaming and social media engagement. 

Finally, radio stations will continue to focus on local content and community involvement to maintain their relevance in a digital age and be a part of our society and culture like they have always been, with a different purpose and in a different form.