In radio, ownership can take various forms, each with its own implications for programming, content, and audience engagement. Here are some common types of ownership in radio: Public Radio: These stations are run by the government or non-profits, and their goal is to serve the public good. They play a mix of shows, like news, educational stuff, and different cultures' programs. They get money from the government, listeners donating, and grants. Commercial Radio: These stations are owned by businesses, and they make money by selling ads. They want to get as many listeners as possible so they can charge more for ads. This means they play music that's popular and shows that are entertaining. Community Radio: These stations are run by local groups and non-profits to serve their own communities. They play shows that reflect the interests of the people who live there, like local news, shows about local issues, and music that isn't mainstream. Public-Private Partnershi...
In this unit, we will learn about the history of radio, how it started, and how it grew in our country. Understanding this will help you see its potential. As an enlightened listener, you can help it develop further as a way of teaching and entertaining. We call you "enlightened" because you're taking this course to learn how to write radio scripts. A good radio writer needs to be a good listener too. So, we see you as an active listener who can tell good scripts from bad ones. You know that radio has many educational and entertaining shows. We'll talk about them later in this unit. But first, let's focus on the history of radio. Knowing about its past and how it developed will help you understand its strengths and weaknesses. This will help you write scripts that suit the medium. Your scripts can cover many topics like education, women, children, science, agriculture, and more. The aim is to reach a wide audience and keep them interested. Read through the unit step by step, making notes in the margin to help you remember. You'll find the unit informative and helpful.
Beginning of Radio Communication in the West
The word "genesis" means the start or beginning. Here, we'll learn about how radio communication began. Radio started in the West. People knew about radio waves before they found them. James Clerk-Maxwell, a professor in Cambridge, predicted them in 1864. Then, in 1888, a German physicist named Heinrich Hertz showed that these waves exist and travel through space. But he didn't know they'd be used for communication. Ernest Rutherford, a British physicist from New Zealand, sent radio signals over a distance of a mile. Another Englishman, Oliver Lodge, figured out how to tune radios. You've probably heard "tune into the BBC." "Tune" means adjusting your radio to pick up the right waves.
Radio: The Beginning
Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian physicist and engineer, used radio waves to invent wireless telegraphy for communication. He patented his invention in 1896. On December 12, 1901, he sent messages across the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. Marconi won the Nobel Prize in 1909 for his work. However, his device could only send dots and dashes, not spoken messages.
To send spoken messages, a vacuum tube was needed. John Ambrose Fleming, an Englishman, made the first vacuum tube in 1904, called a diode. A vacuum tube is a sealed glass or metal tube with almost no air inside, allowing electricity to flow without interference. It's also called a wireless valve. Lee DeForest, an American, improved Fleming's tube in 1906, making it a triode or audion. This allowed for voice broadcasts.
In 1906, radio operators heard speech and music from a violin, marking the start of radio broadcasting. However, new problems arose, like concerns about radio corrupting people and the need for big investments in broadcasting stations and radio sets.
Control of International Air Space
Early in the 20th century, there were debates over airspace regulation and broadcasting rights. Without control, stations could interfere with each other's broadcasts. To address this, the International Telegraph Union was formed in 1909. It kept records of radio stations worldwide to prevent interference. Today, the bureau is part of the International Telecommunications Union, under the United Nations.
Advances in satellite communication have made it possible to instantly share information globally. However, some developed countries control resources like the radio frequency spectrum and geostationary orbit, leading to calls for fairer resource allocation by developing countries.
Looking Back: Radio in India
Let's take a look at how radio came to India and how it grew over time.
Radio Arrives in India
The world's first regular broadcasting station opened in Pittsburgh, USA. In the UK, the Marconi Company started radio programs from Chelmsford on February 23, 1920. However, regular broadcasts by the British Broadcasting Company began in November 1922.
In November 1923, a Radio Club was formed in Calcutta, marking the start of amateur broadcasting in India. Similar clubs in Bombay and Madras started broadcasting programs daily from June 1924. But the Madras club closed in October 1927.
By July 1927, the Bombay station of the Indian Broadcasting Company got a government license for regular transmissions, followed by the Calcutta station in August. Lord Irwin, the Viceroy, inaugurated the Bombay station and highlighted radio's potential for entertainment and education.
AIR is Established
In the 1930s, the Indian economy suffered, affecting radio. The government took over, reducing the budget for radio stations. In 1935, the Government of India Act defined broadcasting's role.
In August 1935, Lionel Fielden of the BBC came to India and helped establish radio as a public institution. He renamed the Indian State Broadcasting Service to All India Radio (AIR) to give it a more inclusive and less official name.
Today, AIR is known as Akashvani. Dr. M.V. Gopalaswamy, a professor, established a radio station called Akashvani in 1935, broadcasting music and talks in Indian languages. It later became part of the AIR network.
Lionel Fielden left India in 1940, and A.S. Bokhari took over. P.C. Chaudhuri became the first Director-General of Akashvani in independent India under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Minister for Information and Broadcasting.
News Services
Origin of Central News Service
During World War II, news bulletins started broadcasting from Delhi. However, the Central News Organisation (CNO) was formed in 1931. Before that, each station made its own bulletins. Bombay and Delhi broadcasted news in English and Hindustani, while Calcutta broadcasted in Bengali.
Fielden, a BBC official, supported broadcasting in Hindustani, considering it widely understood in India. But in 1949, Hindi replaced Hindustani in AIR programs. Urdu news broadcasts began, while Hindustani was not officially recognized.
Today, All India Radio has a developed news service broadcasting in 20 languages and 34 dialects. It also airs newsreels, daily commentaries, and discussions on current events. Additionally, it provides slow-speed bulletins in Hindi and English for small newspapers and monitors foreign broadcasts.
Educational Radio
Discussions and commentaries on current events are educational. Other programs cover topics like agriculture, animal husbandry, and cottage industries. Radio Farm Forum started in 1949, and family welfare programs began in 1967, covering health, nutrition, and family planning.
AIR broadcasts school programs from Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, and Delhi for 30 minutes, two or three times a week. However, infrastructure limitations hinder widespread reception. University programs from Delhi, Punjab, and Punjabi are also broadcasted.
Special Audience Programs
Programs for special groups like army personnel, women, children, and youth are special audience programs. Yuv-Vani, or The Voice of Youth, started in 1969, allowing young people aged 15-25 to plan and present programs. It became popular nationally.
Commercial Service - Vividh Bharati
Initially, film music wasn't considered radio-worthy. In 1957, AIR launched Vividh Bharati to meet the demand for Hindi film music, competing with Radio Ceylon. Programs were originally from Bombay and Madras, later expanding to low-power mediumwave transmitters.
Activity and Audience Research
Stations conduct audience research to understand preferences. Autonomy debates for Akashvani and Doordarshan are live topics, promising interesting developments in radio history.
Summing Up
You've learned about radio history from the discovery of radio waves to the formation of the first stations in the UK and USA. The evolution of broadcasting in India, from amateur radio to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the four main radio services have been discussed.
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