-Updated- Final Call!: Changing Radio in Review

The Apple Seed Team and some of our guests

At the beginning of the semester, had you told me that by the end of the next four months I'd have strong feelings towards the future of radio, I'm not sure I would have believed you. But now, as we are in the midst of finals, I can tell you very adamantly that radio is not dead! And I'd then tell you in detail about how broadcast executives can go about refurbishing their approaches towards radio (and not simply dismissing it) and in turn bring back radio as a relevant, contemporary, and fresh media channel.

This January, I began my job working as an Assistant Producer at BYU Radio for a show called The Apple Seed. It's a storytelling show with deep roots in the traditional storytelling community and flavors of The Moth Radio and This American Life. I LOVE my job.


As I've been working at The Apple Seed, I've begun to deepen my love and appreciation for what radio has to offer. And as I've grown in understanding of how the broadcast industry works, I've been amazed at how under-tapped the strengths of radio are--especially in contrast with the strengths and weaknesses of television.

As I've put together my ignite presentation and researched/written on this topic (more on this topic here and here), I've turned to colleagues and classmates for advice. A lot of the feedback I've received has been about my presentation of my point. Say this differently, emphasize this point more, make that briefer. And it seems fitting. In an issue of communications, the communication of my point was what needed most improvement! A lot like radio. The content and medium is good, it's the delivery that needs fixing.

It's this concept that had me tie this call for change into the rise of deism during the enlightenment and the rise of graphic design in the 1900s. Christianity was good, art was good. They just got refurbished for the times. Instead of throwing old mediums out, the delivery was simply altered or improved upon.

UPDATE:

Thanks Jordyn and Jesse for the feedback! Jordyn, my call to change is more specifically to get broadcast organizations to start using new technology to more specifically address very specialized publics, and in turn build larger listener bases and better ad content. Jesse, I totally see where you are coming from. Perhaps it would have been more effective to cut out one of the historical tie-ins and use that time to talk more in depth about the implementation of my call to change? I'm thinking the tie-in with graphic design was perhaps more relevant than the evolution of traditional Christianity into Deism. Thoughts?