Radio. It almost seems like something that is quickly fading out of existence in urban North American culture to say the least. But even while it is being overshadowed by direct internet downloads, where people can get the music they want when they want it, radio still does reflect its community. Vancouver is such a consumer-based economy in almost every aspect. People are always looking for the hottest trends and the newest ideas, and obtaining them in the shortest amount of time possible. So how does radio reflect the nature of this community? The answer is quite simple. The radio industry for Metro Vancouver is a marketable commodity that certain people are willing to invest into. It follows the post-Fordist market strategies of a capitalistic society. Just as there are many types of people in the city whether differing in ethnicity or culture, there are just as many radio stations to cater to those groups. Radio in an urban environment seems very ambiguous.
Now in the context of small towns and target populations, radio plays a much greater unified role. For the case of
CBQM in Fort McPherson, the radio program really reflected a tight-knit community. The radio shows targeted two main groups in this town: the First Nations and the Church. There has always been a checkered past between Christian missionaries and First Nations groups, but this community shows no signs of it. This town of different backgrounds is represented by different radio shows that are held throughout the day. One portion has First Nations hosts and another has with a Pastoral host.
Another small town vibe for radio is demonstrated in a
case study by Daniel Fisher. The Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting Association holds programs strictly based off of caller requests. It is through this request program that this radio station reflects the community. Many of the Indigenous towns are spread out, but on certain days of the week with correct satellite transfers, the radio show can reach some of the more remote towns. These towns are culturally diverse, and this diversity is portrayed through the radio call-ins.
But radio isn’t all just about representing a community. Radio also establishes community. This is clearly seen in both of the cases previously discussed. Fort McPherson has a large First Nations and Caucasian Christian population, but both groups are brought together through communication via the radio. Most events happening in this small town are announced over the radio and generally have mixed attendances, creating a kind of large family-oriented environment. The case for Australia’s Indigenous Northern Territory communities is also fairly similar.
TEABBA helps to bridge the large distances between these culturally rich communities both geographically and socially. The ability to call in song requests creates a time-space compression between groups of people. It also breaks down institutionalized barriers like prisons. It’s a means for family members to reach inmates if the distance is too far to go visit them.
So radio really does play this unique role of reflecting the community and also creating community. I would say that this dichotomy is much more established within small rural populations because the interactions between the station and society are more transparent. For a city like Vancouver, it is much more difficult to see how radio creates a sense of community since there are so many options in terms of radio programs to choose from, and not to mention the fact that it is slowly becoming an obsolete technology. But for the communities that still rely heavily on radio broadcasts for entertainment, it definitely can be a tool for development and reflection.
No comments:
Post a Comment