An exploration of radio’s lasting role in communication and culture. From storytelling and sports commentary to its reliability during crises, the article reflects on why radio continues to stay relevant.
✍️ Authored by Uday Ganorkar Strategic Sales Leader | Managing Business Dynamics | Creating Client Success
“I prefer Radio to TV because the pictures are better - Alistair Cooke”
On World Radio-day, celebrated on the 13th of February, people across the globe immersing themselves in a simple instrument like a Radio must be a mystery for today’s Gen Z / Alpha / Beta.
Fortunately, the iconic rock band “Queen” ensured immortalising the Radio through its cult song “Radio Ga Ga” way back in the 80s itself!
The UNESCO World Radio-day is a global celebration of radio, on how it shapes our lives, informs, transforms and unites us. It is the perfect medium to bring communities and people across all backgrounds together and communicate. It celebrates the broadcasters who bring us news, and share with us their unique stories.
Closer home, Radio mesmerized India way back pre independence through the All India Radio, later renamed “Akashwani”, literally meaning the “Voice from the sky”, reaching an astounding nearly 99% of the population. A picture may speak a thousand words, but imagining an entire set of events of a cricket match -ball by ball- on a radio especially in the 70s / 80s is a thrill hard to replace. It required the ultimate communication skill of the commentator, to weave a picture in the minds of millions of viewers by describing the event so vividly!
The Radio brings to the mind a group of people huddled around a fire years ago trading stories. A Radio has a few rare features that people today could still revisit and relearn. The patience to let an entire song get over without fiddling over the channels, sticking to a radio station for at least a while (requiring at least some attention span), and firing our individual imagination creating a picture over what we hear on the radio, a rarity in today’s fast pace world.
Today it still remains a great solace for millions of commuters in their respective vehicles seeking the calm and comfort of listening to their favourite songs stuck in long queues and hours of traffic. For those who though the television would sound the doom of the radio, the radio still holds strong.
It has proved to be remarkably resilient in the digital age, adapting to rather than being replaced or getting obsolete.
It has managed to adapt, adopt and to blend business and communication together through so many new private channels too! In disasters / wars / internet shutdowns, the Radio still remains a trusted, resilient and reliable communication method. The future of radio is not about “surviving” but rather integrating with the digital age of internet to audience where it still remains present, and more importantly still relevant!