RADIO AND ITS INFLUENCE ON US

Radio was invented by Marconi in 1904.  Since 1924 the radio has been serving the people in every part of the world.

The word radio is derived from the Latin word radius which means ‘ray’. The term was adopted in the early 20 century to distinguish the radio from other wireless communication technology.

James Clark Maxwell and Michael Faraday arrived at the theoretical conclusion that electromagnetic waves existed and Heinrich Hertz, another scientist, confirmed and proved that electromagnetic waves can be transmitted. Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian inventor fascinated by Hertz’s study on electromagnetic waves, further experimented by sending radio transmissions, which led to the development of wireless telegraphy.

Early theoretical and experimental innovations by scientists such as David Hughes, Nikola Tesla, Jagdish Chandra Bose and others have also contributed to the development of radio communication systems as they exist today. The sound you hear on your radio sets are signals transmitted through electromagnetic waves in a radio frequency range.

Influence of Radio's in modern age.

 

The radio is now in great demand all over the world. It has become so important we cannot think of doing without it. The radio is an integral part of people's lives. Radio is one of the most important inventions of the modern age. It has influenced our lives so effectively and so silently, that every modern man becomes its slave. Listening to the radio instantly became popular and developed interest overnight. Radio became the "lifeline" for many because it was a cheap way to stay involved and aware of what was going on around them. It was informative and entertaining due to the music and news programs.

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.
Radio is a medium of communication that allows people to listen to news, music and other forms of entertainment. After the commercialization of radio, it became a strong medium for passing information and entertainment to the masses with a range of programmes including news, music, dramas, comedies, variety shows and various other forms of entertainment. It has become a powerful tool of communication in the modern era. The radio is still a low cost medium and a source of information and entertainment that reaches out to a large number of people around the world.

For many, the radio brings fond memories of their childhood. The radio brought the family together to listen to news, music and drama. It continues to play the role of family unifier bringing in its wake music and local news. Now, a majority of the people use the radio only to listen to music.

The radio is used in many different ways.

The radio serves us in many ways. It caters to the needs and tastes of all kinds of men. It broadcasts news, music, weather and market reports, sports news, speeches, comments, interviews of important persons, dramas and a variety of other things.The man, who is a lover of music, gets the food of his heart from the radio. Men interested in weather news, get it from the radio. Persons interested in sports and games, have their news from the radio. Businessmen get their market reports from the radio..

 It mainly used for communication purposes. Electronic Communications is necessary for modern life. Many people use the radio for listening to music to see what are the latest songs and music groups. They can use them to listen to what the weather is for that day and other news that’s happening around the world.

The function of the radio is not confined only to broadcasting news and other items and  its programmes. It also give warning about the impending natural calamities. The radio warns about storms, cyclones, tidal waves etc. and thus save thousands of men who otherwise would have been perished. Radio has a great role in emergency communication and disaster relief. Radio was primarily used to send telegraphic messages through Morse code between ships and land. The armed forces used it extensively to pass orders, diplomatic messages and communication

In times of war and similar other grave occasions, the radio is of incalculable service to men. They get not only the news they wand but also inspiration form it. The patriotic songs broadcast from the radio house their martial spirit. The radio can thus save a nation from disaster. Soldiers and people also use them in wars because the people have to know what's going on if there not watching the television. They were also used in wars when there was no television. They can also use them on ships and planes in so the people know that there doing all right. They also can judge the food restaurants and you can enter contests to win good prizes like concert tickets, money, cars etc. There are also commercials that play on the radio in between their break.

The radio thus serves all classes of people. The rich and the poor, the traders and the cultivators, the young and the old, the boys and girls - all have their news served by the radio

In some countries, the radio is now serving the cause of education. In order to make education interesting, lessons are broadcast for the students. Sometimes lecture programmes by expert and distinguished scholars are arranged. Persons interested in these subjects are very much benefited

February 13 is World Radio Day.

It was proclaimed on November 3, 2011 by UNESCO, and was originally proposed by Spain. According to the UNESCO’s website, World Radio Day is “a day to celebrate radio as a medium; to improve international cooperation between broadcasters; and to encourage major networks and community radio alike to promote access to information and freedom of expression over the airwaves.” World Radio Day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of radio, facilitate access to information through the radio and enhance networking among broadcasters.

Any radio organization will be able to freely download content available to celebrate World Radio Day by broadcasting all day, on February 13, 2013, audio messages on the importance of radio from all over the world.

Fun facts

·       Did you know that the radio is ranked number two in the list of ‘101 Gadgets that Changed the World’ according to History Channel? It is second only to smart phones.

·       One incident that truly demonstrated the power of the radio way back in the 1930s is the dramatization of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds”. On October 30, 1938, a regular programme was interrupted by a news bulletin announcing the invasion of earth by Martians, and what followed was utter panic and chaos. It was later found that the radio adaptation of the science fiction was altered to present it in a more realistic way.

·       This is not so much a fun fact, but a fact nevertheless that mentions radio. In 1979, the British musical duo, “The Buggles” released the hit song “Video Killed the Radio Star”, the lyrics of which implied that by combining audio and visual effects, television had made the radio — a thing of the past or obsolete.

·       Today, there are over 1, 00,000 radio stations around the world. Worldwide, there are more than two billion radio sets in use — a proof that video never killed the radio star.

 

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.

Conclusion:

If properly managed, radio programs may work wonders in the socio-cultural life of a country. From our radio sets we listen news, music features, speeches, dialogues, discussion on the social problems guidelines in the matter of education, and talk on various matter on daily life. The speared of knowledge has become quicker and easier with the help of radio while sitting in our comfortable drawing rooms, we may listen to a great leader or speaker on the air. A businessman or producer may advertise his goods o the radio. Thus, radio means of amusement, information, guidelines and propaganda at one and same time.

References:

1.     The Hindu

2.     Oracle Think quest

3.     Radio broadcasting, its uses & history by Zanib Kahtoon.

4.     Notes mela

5.     Importance of the Radio: Big bands and swing.

6.     Wikipedia. 
  
7.    Importance of Radio to the Public by Mark Bingaman.