Shanahan and Mollgard (who will be our visitor on Monday) covered some of the same territory, looking at the total transformation of radio from a largely State-run system to one that say a proliferation of stations which then led to a "duopoly", a double monopoly where the two competitors, one Irish owned and one now Australian owned, pretend to compete while collaborating behind the scenes to prevent certain regulations, for example around NZ music, being imposed upon them. I have to say, I only listen to National Radio, 101.4 FM (Morning Report 7-9) and Checkpoint (5-7) both of which provide pretty good news services, to Kim Hill on Saturday mornings and to Brian Crump in the evenings, who I think is a genius at radio montage (although that is usually only if I am driving). I also like bfm, our own lovely University's radio station (95 FM) -- they have truly funny commercials, the only ones I can actually listen to. I also listen to the BBC world service at 810 AM. I'm someone who cannot listen to much talk radio which seems to me addled by racism, sexism, anti-migrant attitudes, anti-PC tirades. But given I don't listen maybe I am wrong? Recently, I was interviewed by Kiwi FM, which Mollgaard argues is a front by Mediaworks to stymie indigenous efforts by musicans, broadcaster and academics to support real youth orientated radio that assists local music and culture. It took me some time to find the office which was buried in Ponsonby. I was also interviewed by our former visitor Russell Brown, who I think is excellent, but this I think was for Radio Live -- and Brown certainly does not fit into the "talk show" format I mention above. So maybe this is the "accommodating" tendency the duoply allows -- they can point to "progressive" elements with their broader conservative stations to silence the critics. What do you think?
I'm interested too in the role of NZOA in radio which we can talk about in weeks to come, and also in the iwi stations which I don't listen too but I think do address the concerns of their listeners.
I'm curious about your uses of radio -- perhaps like this article suggests
ReplyDelete(in Journal of Radio and Audio Media -- http://www.tandfonline.com.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/loi/hjrs20)
you don't listen? Or listen differently?
“What Happened to our Audience?” Radio and New Technology Uses and Gratifications Among Young Adult Users.
Also a very interesting discussion on today's Mediawatch. John Barnett of South Pacific Pictures who makes most of the TV dramas on New Zealand television, as well as a number of successful films (Whale Rider, Sione's Wedding), as proposed that Radio New Zealand be televised providing us with a very cheap public service broadcasting service. This will generate a huge amount of debate as Radio New Zealand has a lot of a committed fans who don't want it to change. And this would allow the Government to sell TVNZ saying we now have a public broadcaster. So this links this weeks class and the concerns in weeks to come around television.
Here is the mediawatch link:
http://www.radionewzealand.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch
To be honest, I'm not really a radio listener. Yesterday I turned on my radio for the first time in NZ, just because we are going to talk about radio in the coming weeks and I think I'd better get (a little) familiar with some local radio channels. I tried Kiwi FM, National Radio, our university radio, and some other music radio stations (tunein.com helped a lot, you could find local radio frequencies wherever you are, e.g. http://tunein.com/radio/Auckland-r100994/). But I was a little disappointed.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't into most music programs, although I've already chosen carefully to omit those radio stations broadcast music of which the style I don't like.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, the personalized "radio", such as Pandora® internet radio, would be much better. You type in the name of one of your favorite artists, songs or classical composers, then the software or website will create a "station" that only plays their music and other music like it. It means you don't need to waste your time to listen to music you don't like and to those ads intervened between songs. More and more personalized music websites & software are flooding into our life, with computers and/or mobile devices we can enjoy music we like anywhere & anytime, so why we still need radio?
When it comes to news services, I don't think radio is the best choice. We've already discussed our "news habit";it seems that radio is not our first or even second choice. If I can read it on the Internet or print media, why I need to turn on my radio and listen to someone read it for me? Let alone we also have TV stations which report news with both sound and moving images. So, the same question appears again: why we still need radio?
ReplyDeleteBasically, I think there are two reasons which count for the "survival" or even flourish of radio in this multimedia age.
The first reason, as Prof. Paul Levinson argues in his book New New Media (2009), radio may be the best choice when you're multitasking.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, when you're driving a car and want to check the latest news, you can't read your newspaper, browse the Internet, or watch TV; the only thing you can do is listening. Radio may be the best companion for drivers, no matter taxi drivers or those only drive to workplace. Driving a car can be boring, but when you turn on the radio, you know someone is there "with you", somebody is talking "to you", and someone is singing/playing "for you". You are not alone. That's the most fantastic thing of radio broadcasting. Also, sometimes you could get the most up-to-date information about the current traffic situation in your area, so you may choose another road to avoid hitting the traffic.
The second reason is the irreplaceable and significant role played by radio in an emergency such as earthquake, tsunami, tornado, etc. In daily life, maybe we have better choices for information; but in an emergency, radio may be the only available one.
ReplyDeleteHere's an example. In the 2008 Great Sichuan Earthquake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Sichuan_earthquake), the basic telecommunications services were not available immediately after the earthquake. However, one local radio station was still functional and kept broadcasting. The host tried her best to make panic people calm down through radio waves when aftershocks still happened frequently after the earthquake. This was perhaps the most comforting thing for people who had just been through a natural disaster/catastrophe. When television, Internet services, and cellphone services were down after an earthquake, it was really great to know that someone is there with you when you turn on your radio. Moreover, in the rescue stage afterwards, radio broadcasting made more contribution. It brought the latest news to everyone who survived, and gave hope to those who were buried under the wreckage and had a radio with them.
If I were a driver or we were in an emergency, I would prefer radio than others. We need radio, although not so desirably in everyday life.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm working on the readings and find something interesting. Zita provides a discursive perspective analysis/review of radio spectrum, while others give us a brief history of NZ radio industry after the deregulation. I just found the new reading in Journal of Radio & Audio Media (Volume 14, Issue 2, 2007). I hope it's interesting as well.
Overall, It's a good chance to learn more about NZ media industries and more about radio, even though it is normally not a part of my life.
i just listen News Talk ZB when i drive my car, it seems the live talk show still can attract the audience, when i search the radio, i find most of the station is playing music,so maybe we can say the radio come keep you out of boring when you drive.
ReplyDeletei remember i heard a news, BBC close their multilanguage radio broadcast several month before. internet change the way we get the information.
ReplyDeleteGood to know I'm not the only lone soul who rarely listens to radio. To be precise I only listen to the radio in this month (the month of Ramadan) only in the mornings when I get up to fast I listen to the Islamic broadcast and this is more of a habit that's been ingrained in me since childhood than anything else. I do a lot of online streaming though and sometimes I log on to Fiji Village Live to listen to my favorite station (Navtarang) back home which I find more lively and up-to-date than the Indian stations here. And I'm not the only one Fiji-Indians from as far as US and the UK are avid listeners of Navratang via the Internet.
ReplyDeleteNew Zealand has two Indian radio channels Apna FM (the more recent and more commercialized, advertising intensive and sponsor based) and Radio Tarana (veteran, quite established but catering to a relatively niche audience) and as well as having their devoted audience base both are actively competing to snare new listeners. Although it is interesting that in the month of Ramadan listeners tend to gravitate more towards Radio Tarana deeming their morning broadcasts as more authentic and appropriately respectful. I personally prefer Tarana over Apna FM as I'm quite conservative regarding my religious beliefs and Tarana follows a format quite similar to Navtarang that I am more comfortable with.
So perhaps as I initially thought I cannot make do without radio and its interesting that this topic of radio has come up in this month because this is the only time I actively listen to radio everyday without fail.
I still consider myself an avid radio listener despite the advancement of technology over the last few years. Radio stations I find myself listening to most are Newstalk ZB, Radio Live and The Breeze/Solid Gold FM (sorry I'm a bit old school). But in regards to talk-back, Newstalk ZB and Radio Live are the two major radio stations I tune in to. I particularly enjoy ZB's overnight talk-back show (midngiht-6am)with Pat Brittenden, Bruce Russell and Tim Roxborogh. Mike Hosking's morning show is good too because it gets me out of bed bright and early hence I am updated with the latest news, sport and weather without having to flick through TVNZ's Breakfast and TV3's Firstline. When I get the chance, I also listen to Leighton Smith and Danny Watson's show during the day, as well as Kerre Woodham into the evening. I also enjoy sports talk-back with Willie Lose and Murray Deaker too. In regards to Radio Live, I also enjoy Martin Devlin's sports talk-back show on Sundays and Willie Jackson & John Tamihere's talk-back show during the week.
ReplyDeleteNewstalk ZB is definitely my first port of call regarding breaking news. For example, I found out almost instantly about the Pike River Mine disaster and the Christchurch earthquakes by listening to the radio (ZB) and then later on by jumping online.
In conclusion, radio continues to play an important role in society: whether it be to listen to music, talk-back and/or breaking news stories as they unfold.
I've typically listened to radio for the music. I've listened to bFM since I was a kid. I find it's really the only station which plays the sort of interesting music outside the mainstream which I like. It's also a great exhibitor of local bands which just would not receive any airplay otherwise. Plus the midday current affairs show The Wire can be quite interesting. Otherwise I sometimes listen to George FM for the music. In one of my old flats we used to have National Radio on all day, I found their broadcasting to be really diverse and of excellent quality. I'll put the radio on whilst driving or just whilst I'm at home for a few hours. What appeals to me about it is it's casual nature, it can be on in the background a not require your full attention. I stream radio through my computer quite a bit, something which is useful whilst living overseas.
ReplyDeleteI've never listened to Kiwi FM, though they do seem to play some good small local band which is nice. Mollgaard certainly has quite an interesting, perhaps not totally unexpected, position on it.
ReplyDeleteI seem to be missing pages 32 and 33 of the Shanahan and Duignan reading. Does anyone else have this issue?
I am in the same boat as Wei and Aalia. I rarely listen to radio. Every now and then, when I was living in California, I'd listen to National Public Radio (NPR), but that changed when I arrived in NZ. For my first two years here, I did not have an automobile, and I only listened to radio in the states when I was driving.
ReplyDeleteLos Angeles music radio stations have been dominated by major labels who have paid for their recording artists to get played and kept in the rotation constantly, and I grew tired of it all. I didn't like my music tastes being dictated to me.
In my four years in New Zealand, i seldom listen to radio. That is because every time when i hop onto my partner's car, i will put my iPod music on instead of listening to the radio. Another reason of me not listening to the New Zealand radio is that i found it hard for me to connect to the issues and contents that are being presented in the radio.
ReplyDeleteBut back home in Malaysia, i do tend to listen to radio quite a lot. That is because the traffic congestion is usually bad and listening to radio allows me to get some traffic information. Another good thing about malaysia radio station is that there are multiple radio stations in different languages, and you can pick whichever that you think that is relevant or easy-listening to/for you. Each different radio station with their languages serve different ethnic groups in the country. So in malaysia i tend to switch between English stations, Cantonese stations, Mandarin and Malay stations.
Radio station in malaysia is a completely different scene. Due to our censorship policies, our radio live talk show rarely involve politics. And if it ever does, they will do it under extreme concern and care. Therefore, radio station in malaysia are mostly leisure oriented, although we still have a few state-owned radio stations that is aim towards a more mature demographic.
This week's readings got me thinking of how the free-market oriented broadcasting industry in New zealand is changing and affecting the industry. It could possibly means that contents that are not necessarily relevant to our society still being put forward because it generates more advertising or serve other dominant interest; whereas local contents are being significantly reduced.
oh my god ，Mollgard spoke too fast for me to follow,I think I need to listen the record one more time. Actually ,my uncle and aunt listen to AM936 every morning ,before I go to school ,I listen some of them .I think the context is terrible ,full of advertisement or rebrocasting programs from China ,the tone of the speakers is not normative as well,I think even me can speak better than them.
ReplyDeleteI think the challenge from internet-besed new media doesn't have so much influnce on radio,because radio has its own feature,that is: just listen ,needn't watch .I think this feature is the most impotant function which can support itself continue exist .Just like Wei says ,the radio can be perfectly used in cars for drivers because they only have ear to listen .In other aspects ,radio can be used well, such as in kitchen.When people do cook ,they can't watch because they must focus on the dish，but they can listen.To sum up, after new media widely used widely ,TV may be harmed or effected.But radio can survive because there are a lot of people need "just listen".
ReplyDeleteI have known that some net-based radio has be setted ,as we talked in the lecture. Although there may be some independent program on the internet ,but as far as I konw,there is no independent radio which only based on internet:they just make a net-based version besides traditional radio.I think the traditional radio will continue be exist at least for a long time .
ReplyDelete