Lecture 5

Lecture 5 was delivered via sound recording, as the subject matter was radio as a form of communication. It was challenging for me to listen and process information delivered in this format, as I hardly ever listen to radio or podcasts. I also have to admit I am not a fan of talkback and AM radio, so I really had to apply myself to the task. Initially I was bored, the radio announcer voices made me want to switch off and watch TV instead. I persevered and discovered a lot about radio. The fact that the majority of listeners are multi-tasking when listening to radio means that the content needs to be engaging, but also easy to process. Additionally, when interviewing a guest, you still need to keep the listener involved in the conversation. What I found most interesting though was the way in which the announcers approached interviewing guests. It was said that it’s important to give the guest space to talk as well as giving them the opportunity to reveal themselves to the audience. One of the last points made was the radio is getting bigger around the world, and is good for the time poor, so bearing this in mind I tried to pay more attention to radio. I mainly only listen to radio whilst I am in the car, and usually when the presenters start talking I change the station in order to find music. Hoping that old habits don’t die hard, I was driving around and tuned into the science program on triple J in the hope that I might actually learn something. Whilst not being immediately enthralled, I realised that radio is a vital communication and information presenting tool, as well as having a large array of fans. Who knows, maybe if I keep the listening up I might become a fan myself.