Importance of Radio to the Public

The portability of radio is an advantage.

At the inception of the 20th century, the budding technology known as radio broadcasting brought a new sense of community and an era of instant communication to the general populace. Two-way radio followed in the footsteps of the telephone, allowing for instant one-on-one communication between parties, while public and commercial radio broadcasts provided dissemination of information on a mass scale. Radio's importance to the public may be diminished from times past, but it remains a significant part of the fabric of media consumption.

Significance

Previous to the advent of radio, the primary source of information came via the newspaper--a medium that offered news that was far removed from real time and, in some cases, days old. The importance of radio to the public was unparalleled throughout the "Golden Era" of radio--roughly the 1920s through the 1940s. Iconic photographs of families gathered in front of the radio, listening intently to entertainment, sports and news programming, provide a vivid understanding of the magic of the radio broadcast. At the time, there was no rival to the immediacy of the radio signal. It transported listeners to the front lines of World War II and, just as importantly, zipped them across town for everything from instant election results to sports scores.

Challenge

This importance decreased slightly with the advent of television broadcasts. No longer did families gather in front of the radio--the popular choice became the TV. But even as the demise of radio was forecast, the medium showed surprising survivability. Radio continued to thrive, well through the end of the 20th century, largely due to its ability to be instantaneous and local while fostering a sense of community. Radio operators, understanding this advantage, ensured listener loyalty by providing key coverage of vital information like weather, traffic updates, and high school and college sports.

Competition

With the advent of another new technology, the Internet, radio faces a competitive challenge in remaining forefront and crucial to its listeners. One key advantage is the automobile. No other medium offers the same level of free access and ease of use in the car as radio. That positive aspect, nearly in and of itself, helps retain radio's claim to importance among the public.

Community Radio

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission frequently awards licenses to small, low-power, community-based radio stations. These operations, sometimes with broadcast signals covering only a few square miles, are intended to provide hyper-local public service broadcasts to a specific community. Community volunteers typically staff these nonprofit operations.

Research

A 2009 study by The Council for Research Excellence (a consortium of researchers representing advertisers, agencies, networks and cable companies), called "How U.S. Adults Use Radio and Other Forms of Audio," found that broadcast radio remains the dominant form of audio consumed at home, work and in the car. "Broadcast radio reaches those aged 18-34 at rates equivalent to the general adult population, with 79.2% of younger adults listening to broadcast radio for an average of 104 minutes a day among listeners," reported the study. Thus, while radio faces distinct challenges, it remains a medium of vast importance to the public.

References

• Council for Research Excellence; How U.S. Adults Use Radio and Other Forms of Audio; Oct. 29, 2009