CHARACTERISTICS OF RADIO

DISCLAIMER: The Article provided below is a compilation of information from various sources. The references to the sources are provided at the end of the article. The views and/or facts expressed below are in no way related to the compiler. The blogger or the compiler shall not have any responsibility on the credibility of the information provided. This is an effort to help students during COVID-19.

RADIO

Radio is an equipment/gadget which uses the technology of signalling and communicating through radio waves. The prime purpose of the radio is to convey information from one place to another through the intervening media (like air, space) without wires. It is one of the best communication tools that can deliver fresh music and up-to-date news. It might also be argued to be the one medium that benefits everyone as one does not have to be literate to engage with it. Similarly, Radio can add value to many if the right sources are used for information, education and entertainment.

Some of the common terms used in the medium of radio:

• Audience: The group of people whom radio or media reaches for a particular programme.
• Listener/s: A person or a group of people who form the target audience of radio programmes.
• Broadcaster: a person who presents or announces programmes over radio for the public.
• Broadcasting: any communication or transmission of any message or signal to the public through electronic apparatus.
• Tuning into radio: You have to switch on your radio and tune into the station you want to listen to.
• Live broadcast: It means a programme being broadcast directly without any pre-recording or the sounds made at the moment of broadcast.
• Pre-recorded programme: The programme recorded on magnetic tape, phonographic discs or compact disc for broadcasting it later.
• Script : The written copy of the words to be spoken during a radio programme.

1.   Radio makes pictures

Radio is a sightless or a viewless medium. In radio, either the performer or listener cannot see each other. Therefore, it is called blind medium. Since it is a blind or sightless medium, the performer as well as listener has to creatively imagine each other. So that as soon as voice comes out of the loudspeaker, the listener attempts to visualize what he hears and to create in the mind’s eye the owner of the voice.

    Unlike TV, where the pictures are limited by the size of the screen, radio’s picture can be of any size. The artistically integrated creation supported by appropriate sound effect and right music virtually brought any situation to listeners.

    For instance, Remember the example of the running commentary on radio of the Repubic Day Parade in Delhi? As you heard the commentary, you could visualize or ‘see’ in your mind what was being described. You could actively ‘see’ pictures in your mind of the parade even as you listened to the sounds of bands playing patriotic tunes or the sounds of marching and commands. You use your power of imagination as you follow the running commentary.

        2.   The speed of radio/ Medium of Immediacy

Radio is the fastest medium. It can report the event almost instantly, as they are happening. So it is the medium of the “here and now”. As things happen in a studio or outside, messages can be sent or broadcast. These messages can be picked up by anyone who has a radio set or receiver which is tuned into a radio station. If you have a television set and cable or satellite connection you may be using a remote to get your favourite channel. These days if you have a satellite connection, you can also receive radio signals of various AIR stations. Otherwise your normal radio set gives the meter or frequency on which various radio stations operate. You are tuned into that station and listen to news that happened a few minutes earlier. On the other hand, a newspaper gives you the previous days’ news. Of course television can also cover events instantly. But television is a more complex medium where it is more difficult to take the camera immediately to events as they are happening. But the radio is enormously flexible medium and is often at its best in the totally immediate live situation.

        3.   Simplicity of radio

Compared to all other media, radio is simple to use. As mentioned in the previous sections, radio needs very simple technology and  equipment.

For program production, radio is much cheaper and simpler medium. Its basic unit comprises just one person with tape recorder. For the broadcaster radio’s comparative simplicity means a flexibility in its scheduling. Programs can be shifted, dropped even at a short notice.

        4.    Radio is inexpensive and affordable.

As it is simple, it is also a cheaper medium. The cost of production is low and a small radio can be bought for as low a price as say fifty rupees. Thus, it is easily affordable for even the poorest sections of the society and hence has a wide range of usage.

        5.   Radio does not need electric power supply

You can listen to radio using dry battery cells even if you do not have electric power supply or a generator. So in a country like ours, where electricity has not reached everywhere, radio is a great blessing.    

        6.  A radio receiver is portable / Radio is a Mobile Medium

Don’t you move your radio set at home from the living room to the kitchen or as you go out somewhere? You can’t do that very easily with television. This facility of moving an object which is called ‘portability’ gives radio an advantage. These days if you have a car and a radio in it, you can listen to it as you drive or travel. Can you think of watching television, when you are driving?

But you can always have a radio in a car or wherever you want. Radio can accompany and entertain anywhere. One can have it at home, at picnic resort, while driving or at any other occasion.

        7.  Simple language and Reach of Illiterates

Unless you are literate, you can’t read a newspaper or read captions or text on television. But things are not at all same in the case of radio. For listening to radio, you need not be literate at all. You can listen to programmes or news in any language on the radio. Especially in developing countries, with its language being simple, live and direct, radio can have a huge reach among the illiterate and semi-literate people.

        8.  Rural connect: 

        For a majority of Indians in the rural areas, radio is the only source of news and entertainment. Radio news can be heard anywhere using an inexpensive receiver. Even the most economically backward sections can afford to use the medium of radio.

        9  Entertainment: 

   Radio is the best medium of entertainment. It provides healthy entertainment to the listeners.There is plenty of music of different types available to people. The popular types of music are classical, light classical, light, devotional, folk and film music.

    10    Radio speaks to individual/ an intimate medium

Unlike TV, where viewer is observing something coming out of the box over there, the sight and sound of radio are created within us, and can have greater impact and involvement. To the listener, it seems that as if the broadcaster is broadcasting for each listener individually.

11   Radio speaks to millions/ A Mass Medium

It is a much cheaper and easily available medium. It cost much less to set up a radio station as compared to a TV station. The very term broadcasting indicates a wide scattering of the output covering every home, village, town, city and country within the range of transmitter. Also it is totally free to air.

12  The Transient nature of radio

Broadcasting imposes a strict discipline of having to be there at the right time. The transitory nature also mean, besides hearing, listener also understand it at the time of broadcast.

13  Radio has no boundaries

Radio signals has no territorial limits. Its signal can clear mountain barriers and may cross ocean deeps. No geographical features can be an obstacle for the transmission of radio signal.

14  Radio as background

Radio is less demanding medium in that it permits to do other things also at the same time. Thus, radio runs in background and aids one in performing multitasking.

15  Radio is selective

Radio is a linear medium. The selection process takes place in the studio and the listener is presented with a single thread of material.

16  Radio lacks space

Radio has boundation of time and lack of space. It can allow less space to advertisement and personal announcements than paper.

17   The personality of radio

The great advantage of aural medium over print lies in the sound of human voice. A voice is capable of conveying much more than reporter’s speech.

18 Radio teaches

As a medium of education it excels with concept as well as facts. However, it lacks the ability to demonstrate and show (charts & graphs), but proved helpful for villagers.

19  Radio has music

The range of wide variety of music relaxes and stimulates including pleasure, excitement, or curiosity.

REFERENCES

1.      National Institute of Open Schooling

2.     Indian Media Studies

3.     https://www.slideshare.net/arzoosahni/ec-radio-characteristics-of-radio

4.    https://www.indianmediastudies.com/characteristics-of-radio/

5. https://www.mediaupdate.co.za/media/58602/3-characteristics-of-good-radio

6.  https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/science/engineering/electrical/radio/uses-of-radio-waves

Sources of News

DISCLAIMER: The Article provided below is a compilation of information from various sources. The references to the sources are provided at the end of the article. The views and/or facts expressed below are in no way related to the compiler. The blogger or the compiler shall not have any responsibility on the credibility of the information provided. This is an effort to help students during COVID-19.

A Report on SOURCES OF NEWS

By  Devunoori Vaishnavi 

INTRODUCTION 

News is happening all the time: People are being born or dying, banks are being robbed, roads are being planned, companies are making profits or losses, storms are destroying homes, courts are sending people to jail or freeing them, scientists are discovering new drugs. Every minute of every day something newsworthy is happening somewhere in the world.

Even if you are a journalist working in a small country, something newsworthy is probably happening in your country at this moment, while you are reading this book. Your job as a journalist is to get information on those events and present it to your readers or listeners. But you cannot be everywhere all the time to see those events for yourself. So you need other ways of getting information on all those hundreds (maybe millions) of events you cannot witness yourself. When someone or something provides you with information, we call them a source.

Sources of information can be people, letters, books, files, films, tapes - in fact, anything which journalists use to put news stories together. Sources are very important to report on events or issues and explain the world to the audience. Journalists try to work as much as possible from their own observations, but this is often not possible. Some events or issues are finished before the journalist gets there. Others are like plants which only show their stem and leaves above the ground - the all-important roots are hidden from sight. Journalists who only report what they see can miss much of the news unless they have sources to tell them of more details or other aspects which are out of sight.

TYPES OF SOURCES 

Journalists should deal in reliable facts. So, it is important that the sources  used for writing stories can give accurate information about what happened or what was said. But just as there are lots of different news events, so there are many different sources of information. Some of them will give very accurate information and we call these sources reliable (because we can rely on what they say). Others are less reliable, but still useful, while some can hardly be trusted at all. The main way of judging sources of information is on their reliability.

On the basis of providers, sources can be classified into

Primary Sources

Often the source is someone at the centre of the event or issue. We call such people primary sources. It might be a man who fell 1,000 metres from an aircraft and lived to tell the tale; or a union leader who is leading wage negotiations. They are usually the best sources of information about their part of what happened. They should be able to give accurate details and also supply strong comments.

The fall survivor might say: "I saw the ground rushing up towards me and I kept thinking `So this is death'." The union leader might warn: "If the employers want blood on their hands, we are ready to supply it."

Of course, just because a person was present at an event does not mean that they are either accurate or fair. The fall survivor may have injured his head after landing and so be confused. The union leader will want to present his side in the best light. It is vital to double-check and cross-check facts with other sources.

A word of warning here: If any of the sources, however reliable, gives the information which is defamatory, the concerned journalist can still be taken to court for using it. He/She is responsible for deciding whether or not to publish the defamatory material.

Secondary Sources 

Secondary sources are those people who do not make the news, but who pass it on. The official police report of an incident or comments by someone's press officer can be called secondary sources. Secondary sources are not usually as reliable as primary sources.

Most eyewitnesses should be treated as secondary sources for journalists because, although they are able to tell what they think they have seen, they are often not trained for such work and can be very inaccurate, without meaning to be. Journalists have to assess the reliability of secondary sources and if necessary tell  readers or listeners where the information came from. Secondary sources  include

1.     Press Release

A type of news source where information can be collected through the official statements made to journalists by the concerned organization, a political party or a government department. This type of news sources are tagged as “Pseudo Events”. They  attempt to make publicity.

2.   Press Conference 

It is a meeting at which somebody or the concerned organization talks to a group of journalists in order to answer their questions or necessary official statements. Here the concerned organization is prepared on the information they are disseminating to gain maximum publicity. for example, an interview .

3.   Speeches

Speeches are one of the important news sources today. The highlight of the speech is done on “who spoke” and ‘ what is spoken”. Majority of the political leaders, celebrities and famous people are given priority from the simple nonsense speech to the high level of speech.

4.   News Agency

News agency is an organization that collects news and supplies to newspapers, television and radio companies at a certain cost. News agencies collect news and sources  and sell them to other news organizations.

5.    Internet

The Internet has somehow challenged traditional news sources in many ways. It  is a storehouse of information. Reporters are finding it easy in collecting news sources  that they don’t need to run for news events instead information is right on their doorstep. Search engines such as google  and websites have countless information to provide.

Written Sources

Written reports can make an excellent source of information for a journalist. They are usually written after a lot of research by the authors, they have been checked for accuracy and are usually published with official approval.

However, just because information is printed, that does not mean that it is reliable. With typewriters, computers and modern technology, it is relatively easy to produce printed material. One must look at who has produced the document. Are they in a position to know enough about the topic and have access to the reliable facts? Do they have a reputation for reliability? This is especially important with information on the Internet. Anyone can put information onto the Internet. Unless the journalist knows how trustworthy they are, he/she cannot judge the reliability of what they write.

Leaked Document Sources

Documents are often leaked by people who believe that the public should know the contents (such as an environmental report), but who are unable to reveal it in public themselves, perhaps because they do not have the authority to do so. In some cases, documents are leaked by a person to gain an advantage over someone else, perhaps someone who is criticised in the report. Leaked documents are often excellent sources of news stories because they can contain information which someone wants to keep secret. This might be a plan to do something which the public might oppose, such as bulldozing homes to make a new road. It might be a report on corruption within an organisation which the heads of that organisation do not want to be publicly known.

There are also legal dangers to consider when using leaked documents. They might, for instance, have been stolen. It is usually an offence to receive stolen property if one thinks it could have been stolen, even if it is only a few sheets of paper. Photocopying the document then returning it is often a way to overcome this problem. Leaked documents could also be covered by copyright, so a journalist could be breaking the law by quoting directly from them. He/She is on safer ground in reporting the substance of what was said, in their own words.

Sources from Reporters

One of the most reliable sources of information (although not completely reliable) are other journalists. They may be  colleagues or reporters from a news agency which supplies one's organisation. If they are well trained, experienced and objective, their reports will usually be accurate and can be trusted. However, if there are any essential facts missing from their reports, these will have to be provided. Mistakes can happen. This is why news organisations should have a system for checking facts. A reporter's story should be checked by the news editor then the sub-editor. In small newsrooms, where the reporter may also be the editor or newsreader, the reporter must be especially careful in checking facts. There is also the danger that reporters misinterpret what they think they see and then present that as a fact. This often happens when reporting such things as the size of a crowd. Unable to count every person in it, they make an estimate, often sharing their guesses with other journalists on the scene. This is just an estimate and any report which says "there were 40,000 people present" should be treated with caution, unless the reporter knows the exact number who came through the gate. 

Tip-off Sources

Occasionally someone will call with a story tip-off but refuse to give their name. These are said to be anonymous (meaning "no name"). These are the most dangerous sources of information and should only be used with extreme caution. Although anonymous tip-offs can provide good story ideas, they must never be used without a lot of checking. If they are wrong, the concerned journalist will be held directly responsible unless he/she has checked what they said with other more reliable sources.

Often people who ring up with a tip-off will tell their name if asked, but on the promise that their name will not be revealed to anyone else. Journalists must still cross-check what they say because, of course, they cannot be quoted as a source if there is any dispute about accuracy. For example, if a journalist is taken to court for defamation.

 On the basis of storage and experience, sources can be classified into 

Stored sources

This refers to information a journalist can look up, in a book, in a library, on the Web – anywhere that information is recorded. The good news reporter knows sources of information and can find them quickly.

Once, this was considered the least useful of all types of sources for the journalist. The web has changed that, however. Now because of the web, stored information can be accessed quickly and readily, and that information is much more likely to be more recent. Even the web does not solve the basic problems of stored sources: they are static (they can’t be questioned) and they still may not contain the very latest information.

Observational Sources

This is information that a journalist can get from personal experience, by going to a city council meeting, a fire, a press conference, etc. Reporters like to be on the scene. They like to be at events. Covering news from an affair is not always satisfactory. They like to see with their own eyes, hear with their own ears. They like to talk to the people who are there and get the sights and sounds and smells of a news event. Being an eyewitness to something and being able to talk to people who have experienced it is an experience that cannot be duplicated. Reporters learn to prepare themselves to cover an event by

●  learning as much as they can about the event beforehand

●  getting into a position to see and hear what is going on

●  talking with people who are also experiencing the event

●  taking good notes; using a digital recorder; making notes to themselves immediately after the event

●  taking pictures

Personal sources

This is information that you get from talking to people. Most news reporters have to interview people to complete their news stories. Being able to talk to people — and getting people to talk to them — is one of the most important skills of reporters. Many people are reluctant to talk with reporters because they are afraid of being misquoted or afraid of the consequences of being in the news. Others are anxious to talk with reporters but they may not have good information or they may be pushing their own agenda or point of view. Reporters must learn to get the most from their sources by

● finding the right people to talk to (VERY IMPORTANT), rather than using “sources of convenience”

● respecting their feelings and position

● dealing with them ethically by identifying themselves, understanding the principles of on-the-record and off-the-record conversations, and maintaining the confidentiality of sources even when it is difficult to do so (such as being faced with going to jail)

● learning how to interview people properly

On the basis of occurrence, sources can be classified into

 Predictable News Source

Predictable News sources are sources that  are likely  to happen at a given time , date and location where the incidents take place. Such as  celebration, conference, festivals and parliamentary session etc.

 Unpredictable News Source

A type of news source where  incidents  occur all of a sudden and out of control. The reporters are unaware about the happening of these incidents. For example- landslides, earthquakes, shootings etc.

 Anticipated News Source

A type of news source where the information has to be investigated and  collected on the probability of making news. An example can be a reporter doing a beat report on crime.

 ATTRIBUTION 

When a journalist gets information from a source, he/she normally needs to attribute that information to someone. Attribution means to tell the readers or listeners the name and title of the person interviewed or the document from which the information is extracted. There are three levels of attribution, depending on whether the source is happy about being publicly identified or whether they want to maintain secrecy about what they tell. Based on attribution, sources can be classified into three types.

 On the Record

Most information given will be on the record. People will tell the details openly and allow the media to quote their names and titles. It is always best to get information on the record. On the record comments have an extra level of understanding for people because they know who is speaking and exactly what was said.

 Non-attributable

Sometimes a source will give information on the understanding that the information provided by them can be used but not attribute it to them. Source may do this for one of several reasons. Perhaps they are not officially allowed to give the information, but they think it could be made public. Perhaps they do not want to be in the public eye. Unattributed stories will not seem as accurate to the audience as stories where information is attributed.

 Off the record

Occasionally,  information will be given on the understanding that it is totally off the record. It usually means that both the information provided and the name of the source must not be disclosed. People usually give information off the record when they want the journalist to understand the background to something which is too sensitive for them to talk publicly about. 

 CONCLUSION 

Newswriting depends on information. The quality of the writing is tied to the quality of the information. The quality of the information depends on its source. All sources are said to be reliable if they can be believed consistently. If a source is always correct in the information they provide, it will be believed next time. If they make a mistake, one may doubt what they say. Reliability is built up over time. Thus, the reliability of all sources of information must be assessed to provide authentic content to the readers.

REFERENCES 

1. Tinka Tinka Dasna: Vartika Nanda: Tinka Tinka Foundation: 2020

2. Television aur Crime Reporting: Vartika Nanda: Rajkamal Prakashan: 2010

  https://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%203/volume3_59.htm

3     https://sonamchoekyi.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/sources-of-news/

4.   http://www.jprof.com/reporting/%E2%80%A2-sources-of-information/

5.    https://www.sociologygroup.com/news-sources-importance-in-journalism/