Tuning in to Tomorrow: Enduring Tales for Greater Relevance of Radio

Innovations in Technology have always spurred human progress in multiple domains. In today’s era of 5G internet and AI, we are experiencing a paradigm shift in the ways of working, interacting and knowing like never before. But the beauty and charm of the tools that evolved decades back, refuses to die down. Radio is one such evergreen gift of technology to human society, whose quintessential presence in betel shops, rural homes, barber shops or vehicles cannot be missed. No doubt its popularity has waned with the introduction of other forms of media, but its humble presence in homes is alive and continuing. Radio has evolved with times as today most users prefer to use it in the form of an app in their smartphones. People who prefer to use cell phones, ensure that FM Radio facility is present in it. Thus the cell phone, since its introduction became the new radio set.

The 13th of February is celebrated as World Radio Day to remember the many contributions of radio to human society. It’s a day on which many radio enthusiasts tune in to their radio sets, in whatever different manifestations they come, to give a treat to their ears. In this article, we explore the changing relevance of this humble technology and discover what it means to radio lovers and enthusiasts. My City Links explores the relevance of Radio in today’s digital era.

Still Tuning In?

My City Links interacted with a few people from various walks of life on when and why they chose to tune in the radio. Geetesh Debayan, an engineering student shared, “I was bored of listening to my music playlist while traveling to and fro between college and home on the bus. That’s when I started listening to FM radio on my smartphone.” Rituja Sharma, an IT professional told, “Radio is a good entertainment option when the internet connection in your phone fails.” Shishir Kumar Dash, a septuagenarian said, “I resumed my radio listening habit after retirement. I begin every day by tuning in to Radio Choklate’s program ‘Sarbe Bhabantu Sukhinaha’ by RJ Arya.” Manoranjan Tripathy, who has been a regular listener of the radio since 1965 said, “I have grown up listening to the radio. It provides us with information, education and entertainment. I listen to news on AIR to know all the happenings. It provides crisp, to the point and accurate information.”

Ramakanta Sahoo, who owns a barber shop, always plays his radio while serving his customers. He said, “Radio helps my customers relax and not feel bored while having a haircut. It always runs in the background while I am doing my work.” Prerna Sharma, a housewife, expressed her views, “When my husband goes to work and my kids to school, I turn on the radio on my phone in the afternoon after finishing my daily tasks. The radio acts as a companion to me. It kills my boredom and helps fight loneliness.” Cab driver Bibhuranjan Mohanty shared, “Radio eases the stress of long distance driving and makes the task less monotonous, while entertaining the passengers.” Small stationary shop owner Ankit Behura shared his reasons for listening to the radio, “My shop remains open for most of the morning and evening hours. Sometimes I have to wait for several minutes for a customer. Radio entertains me and lets that time pass in an enjoyable way.” Different people had varying reasons for their love for radio. Similarly, their choices of programs and types of content they listen to were also different.

Radio Jockeys – the Original Influencers

RJs are central to all radio programs. They engage the audience with their lively voices which takes us through the nitty-gritties of a point of discussion, keeping our ears hooked to the conversation. My City Links spoke to one such RJ who has made a name for herself in the world of radio in Odisha.

She is RJ Smita, who is currently working with Red FM 93.5 Bhubaneswar in the morning show Morning No.1. Having spent 18 years in the media industry, she has been an RJ for more than a decade now. Her show ‘Morning No.1’ is a four-hour show which airs every day from Monday to Saturday between 7.00 AM to 11.00 AM. As per her, radio listening has always been important and will remain so in the future. The medium has changed, and the generation to generation thought process has changed. But even today, there is a specific set of people who listen to radio regularly. “Radio being a simple device finds access to many places. Radio is kind of a free thing. You don’t need to subscribe to its services by paying money. You can listen to it at a very minimum price. For instance, you have to pay for reading newspapers, you have to recharge for watching TV, for using social media you have to spend money, but for a basic radio you have to only buy once. It doesn’t take much effort to listen to the radio. You can do it while driving your car unlike other forms of media which demand constant attention. Radio is the lightest and the most powerful medium in my opinion,” said RJ Smita.

RJ Smita shared that with technology, the RJs have upskilled themselves. Sharing her thoughts, she said, “In today’s internet era, we are seeing various social media influencers. But RJs have always been influencers of society. The RJs are the precursors of today’s influencers. In radio, where there are different programs with specific bands and listeners, the RJs have to register themselves before they air their views. In cities if you go and talk to people, they will tell you who is their favourite RJ and why they listen to them. So we RJs play a very crucial role in society.”

Elaborating on the different types of programs that RJs do, RJ Smita explained that depending upon the time band there are programs in the radio. For example, in a morning show there is news based content. What other additions can take place in that completely depends upon a specific RJ. In the evening there are light programs such as music, shayari, talks, and so on. These programs are more relaxing and fun-oriented to reduce the stress of the listeners after a day in the office.

RJ Smita chose a career in radio as she likes to talk and express herself. She said, “I like the kind of work where speaking is involved. Radio is a powerful medium where your voice, your presentation and content is what matters the most.”

Subrat Pati, Multimedia Journalist and Radio Broadcaster

My City Links spoke to Subrat Pati, a radio-lover, radio broadcaster and someone who has been working to popularise radio among people. He works as an independent multimedia journalist with many news agencies, and has founded different radio stations over the years. Among his many contributions, one is the founding of the NGO, Radio Outreach, which organises the International Radio Fair in Bhubaneswar every year since 2015 on World Radio Day. He has also founded and operates Radio Bhubaneswar, which is Odisha’s pioneer internet radio channel.

Our conversation with Subrat Pati started with World Radio Day 2024. “World radio day this year has the theme – ‘A century informing, entertaining and educating’. Basically, radio broadcasting has turned 100 years old. 23rd July 1923 was the first transmission of a radio program. UNESCO has set this theme to remember the many contributions of radio. This year we are organising the International Radio Fair on 13th and 14th February. 13th is World Radio Day, while 14th is Valentine’s Day. Those who love radio very much consider radio to be their Valentine. In these two days we are organising the radio fair at Bhanja Kala Mandap in Bhubaneswar. The various purposes of the international radio fair are to remember the importance of radio, communicate the significance of World Radio Day to people, celebrate the legacy of radio and improve the relevance of the radio, and encourage youngsters to choose a career in radio broadcasting.”, said Subrat Pati.

Regarding the history of radio in Odisha, Subrat informed us that the first radio station in Odisha, started in 1948 in Cuttack’s Madhupur Kothi, and later shifted to Cantonment Road location at Cuttack. Since 1948 various developments have taken place in the field of radio broadcasting in Odisha. There has been a steady increase in the number of radio stations in the state. As of today, we have 60 radio stations in Odisha.

Subrat Pati said, “Odisha has 40 government radio stations, 6 private radio stations, and 15 Akashvani centres. Akashvani has many relay stations as well. Recently a few relay stations have been inaugurated in the state by the prime minister. Around 2006-07 private FM radio started, and community radio started afterwards.” Citing the importance of radio, Subrat Pati stressed, “Radio has been entertaining, informing and educating people for many years, and in Odisha as well it has played a major role in preserving and propagating the state’s culture, traditions, folk-songs, customs and language. I hope in the future also the radio will continue to do so.”

Radio Broadcasting as a Career

Subrat recounted the one single incident from his childhood, etched in his memory which made him aware about the importance of radio in life, and further motivated him for a career in it. In 1999 when there was the Super cyclone, he was in 10th standard. His native home is 8 km from Erasama town. Subrat along with his family were confined to their small native house, listening to the howling sounds of the cyclone. Trees were breaking and falling upon their house’s roof. A terrible noise gripped the surroundings. Their only hope in those troubled times was their radio set. They were getting the information about the trajectory of the cyclone from the radio. The sea water had entered inside the house, as they were forced to sit on the bed and listen to the radio. Akashvani Cuttack’s tower got destroyed and Subrat had to listen to Akashvani Kolkata and Sambalpur. Subrat understood the importance of radio at that moment. He realised that radio is a powerful medium that saves life of people. Thus he decided that if he gets an opportunity then he would make radio as a medium of service to society.

As per Subrat, determination and hardwork are needed to succeed in a radio career.  A radio career demands a few important skills such as command over one language, grasp over general knowledge and good communication skills. While working in other forms of media such as TV and print require a different set of skills, a career as a radio broadcaster can be more demanding. This is because, radio involves a process of visualisation. As voice is the only medium in radio, it also requires a strong presence of mind, necessary for managing live radio programs.

The number of radio stations is increasing in the state. The central government is planning to start five new FM stations in Odisha at Puri, Brahmapur, Balasore, Baripada, and Sambalpur. In these cities 3 private FM station’s licence bidding process has already started. Odisha has 40 government radio stations, and around 100 applications are pending with the ministry of information and broadcasting and are in pipeline. So, a lot of skilled manpower is needed for working there. This is a golden opportunity for students of journalism and mass communication. As no adequate information has been passed regarding this, and also because in the traditional journalism field radio is not given its due importance, students are not coming to this field in the required numbers. Thus, there is a paucity of manpower in the radio sector. Taking stock of this situation, the International Radio Fair is conducting a Mega RJ Hunt, where the target is to have 40 candidates for different radio stations of Odisha.

The International Radio Fair – A One of its kind celebration

The International Radio Fair organised by Radio Outreach, hosts a number of programs celebrating World Radio Day. There are a plethora of programs that feature in the radio fair. First is the antique radio exhibition, which in the past has had 4000 antique radios for display. With the dedicated effort of the organisers this number is set to increase in the current year. Along with that, selling of new radio sets also takes place. As radio repair shops are decreasing, the radio fair also will provide opportunities for the public to repair their defunct radio sets. The radio fair is an occasion for cultural exchange as people from different regions come there. The organisers arrange to showcase Odisha’s culture and traditions through folk, classical dance and music. Apart from the RJ Hunt, recruitment is also going to be conducted for nearly 20 radio stations this year. For school going children and college students there are going to be various kinds of competitions. The radio fair will also organise seminars, workshops and a community radio pavilion in which 20 community radio stations will participate. Another new addition to 2024’s 10th edition of the International Radio Fair is the Hamfest. In it nearly 100 Ham Radio operators would be invited and an exhibition on emergency communication would be conducted.

The radio fair is the only such event in entire Asia dedicated to the sole purpose of spreading awareness about radio. Radio lovers and ordinary people have a very good response to this event. The organisers are satisfied with the public response. Lamenting the dull response of the government authorities, Subrat said, “For such a unique event, the kind of response that should be there from the local administration and government is not there. We feel that we are not getting ample support from the higher authorities, which is required for such an event.” From a tourism prospect there is significant potential in the radio fair event. However, as the event is being organised by an NGO, it is not reaching the heights that it deserves. There are not many events taking place in the radio fraternity. Most radio events are either small commercial ones, such as the music events by FM stations, or are very specific like All India Radio’s event on Shaastriya Sangeet. A fair like the international radio fair, which is very generic and comprehensive, is not to be found anywhere in Asia, as per the organisers.

Impact of the International Radio Fair

RJ Smita, who has been to the international radio fair twice, shared her views on its impact, “The international radio fair is a good platform for people who love radio, and those who aspire to work with radio. The thing is that radio is not only about RJs. Behind it is a dedicated team. They provide information about careers in radio, organize cultural programs, and connect with radio enthusiasts.” Expressing his views, radio enthusiast Anirban Senapati said, “Whenever I visit the international radio fair, I feel nostalgic. When I see an enthusiastic radio-loving crowd, I am reminded of my childhood when we used to feel the same for radio.” Sharing his experience, Abhijit Srikumar, a young radio listener said, “At the radio fair I got the opportunity to meet some well-known faces in the world of radio. I was astonished to see that there is so much to discover in the world of radio with lots of happenings and opportunities. I even repaired my father’s radio set over here, which was lying unused for several months.”

The radio fair connects a lot of radio activists and enthusiasts. Radio lovers from around the world come to the fair as it is the biggest get together of the radio fraternity. Despite the fact that an NGO is organising the event, five big global radio broadcasters have joined this event – Voice of America, China Radio International, Bangladesh Betaar, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and NHK World Radio Japan. However, it is unfortunate to learn that All India Radio doesn’t come every year to the fair. Still then the organisers are positive about the future prospects of the fair, considering the kind of support it is garnering from the public. The public is sharing its feedback and suggestions for improvements with the organisers of the radio fair. But the organisers are sad as they are unable to scale up with their limited budget and meet the high expectations of the people.

Changing Trends in Radio Broadcasting

Radio is a medium for the common man. It is used by people like rickshaw-pullers, farmers and housewives. Radio is used by the highly educated, partly educated and the uneducated. So, even with technological advancement the common man connects with the radio, as it is a very simple medium. There are many types of people like carpenters, peasants, labourers and farmers who don’t have a smartphone with an internet connection. They have cheap cell phones which have FM radio facility, which they use conveniently. As advancement in technology cannot reach the entire population, some sections of the population will always be far-off from them.

Technological developments like AI have found acceptance in digital media. However, in the case of radio broadcasting that is not the case. The current technology is not that advanced to entice the listeners, feels Subrat. This is because, in the case of radio, listeners connect not just the voice, but also the style, personality and character of an RJ. AI RJs, if introduced, will make the process very mechanical and robotic. Subrat is of the opinion that it is a bit premature to strike off AI’s application in the field of radio, as development of technology is a continuous process.

On the other hand, DRM or Digital Radio Mondiale is the latest trend in radio technology. Traditionally radios have the problem of noise. But digital radio doesn’t have this problem. The problems like interference, noise or weak signal strength are not there in DRM. Another trend in radio is its localization. In the initial days, AIR Delhi used to broadcast for the entire country. But now, broadcasting for crores of people is not feasible. Now radio is becoming hyper-local. Radio broadcasting stations are coming up in societies, cities, towns and blocs. They are specific and targeted with a service size of 20,000 to 50,000 people, having low transmission power. For instance, AIR Cuttack has a transmission power of 300 kW which is the only one in that power range in the state. Medium wave transmission is being closed down everywhere. Now mostly 50 W transmission is being installed everywhere. The Government of India is installing 100 W transmitters everywhere to ensure localization of Radio.

With his vast knowledge of the field and utmost dedication to the cause, Subrat Pati has ensured that his efforts are appreciated by the radio-loving community of the state and beyond. His earnest attempts at reviving radio’s popularity deserve the support of the government, keeping in mind the many benefits of localization of radio. My City Links wishes him, his team and the radio loving fraternity a happy world radio day.