Radio is the most intimate medium [LWN.net]

Radio is the most intimate medium

Posted Apr 15, 2006 6:10 UTC (Sat) by Junior_Samples (guest, #26737)
Parent article: The Rise of Media Independence (Linux Journal)

Radio speaks to the listener directly. Talk shows on radio are so successful because radio conveys a sense of intimacy, and involve the listener directly. How do you do that on mp3? Talk radio is an invitation to participate.

Music on the good radio station is like friend selecting tunes which she knows you'll enjoy. And Radio technology is elegantly simple. I needed a new radio for when I go jogging. Found a great AM/FM pocket "sports radio" for five dollars at Wal-Mart. Someone steals it? Big deal. Someone steals your iPod? Now that might sour your mood.

Radio can be magical. At night the AM band comes alive, and one can find a great variety of programming from distant cities: sports, music, talk, politics, comedy. My favorite nighttime station is CHWO-AM 740. It orginates from Toronto, but easily heard over a large portion of North America (how's that for a WAN?). CHWO's lineup is an eclectic mix of wonderful shows highlighting jazz, pop, swing, doo-wop, and rock and roll. To duplicate such breadth and selection on an iPod would be a full time job, and would require deep financial pockets.

Radio is not dead. It is there to be rediscovered by each new generation. It is the greatest bargain in entertainment today.

(Log in to post comments)

Thank you

Posted Apr 15, 2006 19:26 UTC (Sat) by Baylink (subscriber, #755) [Link]

I love Doc, and he's really good at what he does (whatever that is; I've never quite figured out how he finds time to blog so much so well, unless that's what's someone's paying him for :-), but sometimes he misses it, and I suspect this is one of those times.

And he's a radio *guy*; he ought to get this.

It's the law of unobvious consequences, just like the breakup of The Phone Company.

In 1975, the President could call -- quite literally -- any telephone in the United States, and break in on whatever was going on to get to someone whom he needed to talk to, in an emergency.

Whatever you think of the current president, I guarantee you he can't fo that anymore...

Radio is the most intimate medium

Posted Apr 16, 2006 9:16 UTC (Sun) by Los__D (subscriber, #15263) [Link]

Record a couple of hours from a high bitrate shoutcast radio, and then you've got something better. There's a million more to choose from, and those are selected especially for the style you like, because they don't need to provide a wider range of styles to survive.

And that reaches from the other end of the world (the Internet is a WAN, so no need for lousy quality AM to reach far).

The 5 dollar price, that one is true, but so will mp3 players be when the technology is dead...