Information is useful in any setting because it is an authentic instrument in the understanding of discrete, business and social objective or goal. Any society requires information; thus sending and receiving information are important activities. Today, the introduction of radio has greatly changed the means information is disseminated. The article discusses radio as a means of mass communication.
Radio ranks as one of the common means of communication because of its appealing features. Some outstanding features of the radio include interactivity, its ability to needle a dialogue and to lobby the contribution of residents with lesser production expenses and extreme adaptability. Also, radio programs are normally timely and able of spreading messages to the listeners despite where they are provided that they own a receiver with enough power supply. Radio is not affected by nascence of facilities such as water, light or road. Also, difficult landscape, time, distance or socio-political demands do not block radio performance. Furthermore, radio messages can be relayed in own recipient language. Thus illiteracy does not affect understanding messages.
As means of mass communication, radio has its weaknesses and strengths. A good radio programmer has different strengths. Radio being an audio medium creates pictorial pictures that are evocative. When listening to a radio play, or a scene being described it creates more imagination than it would through television. Although it plays sound, the radio utilizes the listeners’ imagination to create mental pictures of the message. Radio is affordable and most people even those in developing countries can own one. For the programmers, radio production is cheap especially if the potential audience is not a big population. Radio is also uncomplicated where the listener is required to own a receiver set, and use easy controls to tune into programs.
Radio is immediate where it can directly broadcast proceedings as they occur without any delay. The audience rests at home or wherever they are and hear happenings taking place across the world. Therefore, the radio is an excellent source of news. The radio is personal where the listener relates to a good program because the broadcaster is relaying relevant and useful information. The radio is also a trussed channel especially if the listeners like and trust the broadcaster.
The radio is an accepted mode of mass communication and a part of most homes. Most people listen to the radio when working, at home or some other place. Unlike, the watching television or reading a newspaper, the radio does not require much attention or concentration. It fits as a channel for mass communication because it is diverse where the broadcaster can broadcast different subjects such as sports or a farming program. It is also widespread where it broadcasts worldwide across territories
One of the functions of the radio is entertainment. It relaxes and kindles prompting pleasure, reminiscence, eagerness or curiosity. The radio plays music from its comprehensive record library that is comparable to none. The radio also plays the role of informing listeners in different topics such as new products and services or jobs. The news program is the most common radio program for the latest updates. The radio also educates its audience because the broadcaster gathers a world of ideas. Listeners are educated on different topics through concepts and facts. The messages reach out and educate both the educated and illiterate audience depending on their learning needs.
In conclusion, radio as a means of mass communication has its strengths that when capitalized they can become an effective medium of communication. It has proven to be a powerful and popular channel of mass communication.
