when I use the radio its generally to drown out the sounds of driving. It would be a stretch to say I'm an avid listener. The best thing about the radio is how many stations they are with DJs that fit each type of audience its trying to draw. the classic rock station has the one that is just a bit edgy, and they talk about how awesome the "old days" where, which leads to the variety pop station with commenting on whats trending on twitter, or the really old classical music station that i cant really tell if they have a DJ, but the people that do talk sound sophisticated. Having easy access to the content is what makes radio so great. With such a diverse pool of choices the audience shouldn't have trouble finding something that they enjoy. however, this choice is not necessarily in complete control of the audience. the way stations make money is through advertising between songs and shows. if a particular type of content is not drawing ears then it will not entice companies to sponsor a station or show, this is mentioned in the reading passage Radio Days. there is either a change in the music or the DJ is fired, and someone is found that can garner attention. so when on the air DJs have to put on a show for the people. but its not going to be 100% real all the time. this best shown in a clip of the film "Talk Radio" where the character on screen is pouring his heart out to his listeners, but it falls on deaf ears, as long as he continues to produce content they will listen. it doesn't matter that he is seaming the center of attention of millions of people but all they hear is a dancing monkey. in the way technology has advanced enough to allow smart phones to play videos on the go or run a podcast is making a new golden age of media. in a similar way radio did, and that is the internet, specifically YouTube. it has so meany niche audiences its almost immeasurable. there are YouTubers who are going to, and have reached celebrity status. this medium also uses ads to make a profit. the one difference that i see in YouTube and radio is that youtubers generally start in there homes or private places to make there content. it can lead to a studio and higher quality content if the audience is big enough.
What factors or conditions led to the rise of a style of radio that put music and DJs (and later talk radio hosts) at the center? What kind of radio did it replace? How was radio adapting in this period to the way Television had changed the "media environment"? What, according to our texts and the quotes given, did this kind of radio tap into for its appeal? Why did the DJ become a kind of "hero" figure during this era?
Grade: 2
Posted by: DrMartinek | November 01, 2016 at 12:04 PM