RADIO IN DEVCOMM.

By Joelle Robles (4B1-Media Production)

-(NCAA) Radio is considered to be the primary source of news because of its pervasive,
persuasive and credible nature, given that it also reaches 85-90% of the Filipino
population.
-Out of an estimated 12 million households, 10.2 million own radio sets, while those with
television sets amount to only 8/52 million.
-Radio is a mass medium widely used in development., as it can be strategically
used to effect social changes that would benefit a community, nation or region.

It is an aural medium.
-it can be used with impoverished populations who have had no access to
literacy education and cannot read, as radio only engages listening among its
audience.
-that said, it can also be easy to operate as
Radio is an inexpensive medium.
-is largely distributed especially among rural poor.
-Battery operated recievers may be expensive or inaccessible for rural areasl, but the
problem could be greatly reduced by the introduction of solar-powered or wind-up radio
technology.
RADIO is relatively inexpensive to produce and distribute
-makes a popular alternative for donor donor agencies to reach underdeveloped
audiences as opposed to other forms of media (print, telephone, television and new
media)
UNESCO figures show thatthe use of radio has increased over the
yearsThis is due, most likely to the that radios are relatively inexpensive, easy to
obtain and operate, and can be used while engaged in other tasksit does not require
hands-on manipulation, like the Internet, in order to obtain information or have access to
entertainment. (Butner, 2003)

THE ROLE OF RADIO IN DEVCOMM.
Radio in Devcomm could be:
-the common notion of radio broadcasting, from a central station to a certain area. In the
development context it is often referred to as rural radio;
-community radio, audio programmes produced locally or by another centre and
broadcast to the whole community through loudspeakers set in the village; and
-The use of audiocassettes, both for use in the community or for producing and
recording local programs on crucial issues, both for inside and outside purposes.

The role of radio is generally defined as to inform, educate and entertain. In
development, however, radio can be multi-faceted as, among other things, it can serve
to pass messages, improve the capability of calling upon and organising groups and
organisations, enlarge the forum for social dialogue, provide effective capacity building
of the community, raise awareness and knowledge of community issues, bring the
people's voice to the higher level of their political structure and mobilise the community
to tackle issues of collective interest

However, radio in the development world has been used in many other ways, always
with the same main concern:

Although the role of radio is to INFORM, EDUCATE, and ENTERTAIN, in development
communication it is mainly concerned with:
how to assist people to take control of their lives and improve their livelihoods
THREE CATEGORIES OF RADIO IN DEVCOMM:
1. EDUCATIONAL RADIO
-http://news.nismed.upd.edu.ph/2014/08/go-teacher-go-continues-to-inspire.html
-UNESCO Nicaragua
- These kinds of programmes are usually written and prepared by subject specialists
after having investigated and assessed the issue in question

NISMEDs radio program, Go Teacher Go! (GTG) aired every Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00
pm over DZUP 1602 AM band, continues to inspire science and mathematics teachers.
Public and private school teachers who tuned in and participated in the radio program
expressed their desire to continue touching other teachers lives by sharing their best
practices in the classroom, as the programs resource persons.

2. DOCUMENTARY AND CULTURAL RADIO
- report and provide testimonials on aspects of community life.
- This is done to draw the attention of the community to specific issues, problems and
their solutions
-Journalists, social researchers and communication practitioners are the ones that usually produce this
type of programme, often adopting a participant observation approach in order to document the issues
accurately and objectively
-RADIO VERITAS DURING PEOPLE POWER

3. PARTICIPATORY RADIO (Community Radio)
- the use of radio for the people and by the people
- issues to be discussed and presented in the programme are decided by the
community with the assistance of a radio producer.
-full participation is experienced
- purpose is that of providing an open forum where people can express their views,
opinions, and concerns and in doing so providing the opportunities to improve their
livelihoods
- change the common flow of information, traditionally top down, into a bottom up flow of
information
-JAGNA
- Jagna Community Radio DYJP (100.1 ) in Jagna, Bohol, Philippines, Radio DYJP
began in 2008 with the support of PhilosHealth, San Francisco, USA, as a medium that
could respond to health concerns of the community. Since then its pool of volunteers
has expanded to include representatives of the different sectors of the community. Their
volunteers are made up of local government workers including a Barangay (barrio or
district) captain, students and young people, teachers, nurses, and NGO workers.

Besides health, Radio DYJP now covers many other issues that concern the
community. Its programmes include Youth Tube, Womens Time, News and Public
Service, Education Sector, Agrikultura sa Kahangin (agriculture), Persons with
Disability, English Classics, Tagalog Classics, Muslim Programme, and more.

Im acquainted with a DevCom student from UPLB, Von Carlo Caloy Yacob, who was
part of the now-defunct DZLB. He shares his insights in the following interview:

ME: What do you think is the importance of RADIO in DevComm?
CALOY: Through radio, we communicate relevant information to communities within our
reach. And since our bias is really leaning towards the poor, we recognize the
importance of radio kasi its the most used medium of communication for such
communities.

ME: What does DZLB do exactly? What was its reach?
CALOY: It caters to UPLB and communities near it. We also have this campus FM
station before which is LBFM and it does all the campus-related stuff. DZLB is really
more focused on Laguna communities including UPLB (Both DZLB and LBFM are
operated by students. Pero mostly teachers ang DZLB).Programs produced in DZLB
were really based on the Training Needs Analysis conducted on selected
communities. So the stations dont just air for the sake of airing, but really to address
necessary and relevant community issues. And it has reached communities near UPLB.
(not sure with the exact reach)

ME: As DJs of DZLB, what are you expected to do? What programs do you
produce?
CALOY: It is expected for the broadcasters to conduct TNAs (Training Needs
Analysis) and produce programs that would address the most pressing need of
the pre-selected Laguna community. For example, we had this InaAlagaan
program for a particular community in Laguna. The focus of the program is to
address the issue on teenage pregnancy and orient the young mothers on the
dos-and-donts as mothers.

ME: What was the reason why DZLB shut down? Did it have anything to do with it
being near-obsolete technology? Whats replaced it?
CALOY: We cant afford to buy new transmitters for the station. Now, the college
is already working on it. But as of this moment, we are still producing recorded
programs through radio and currently venturing to TV programs.

In this age of new media, can radio still serve this purpose?

Before answering that, lets first define some concepts:

WHAT IS NEW MEDIA?
- the forms of communicating in the digital world, which includes publishing on CDs,
DVDs and, most significantly, over the Internet. It implies that the user obtains the
material via desktop and laptop computers, smartphones and tablets. Every company in
the developed world is involved with new media.

WHAT IS OLD MEDIA?
- The forms of communicating prior to the digital world, which include analog radio and
TV and printed materials such as books and magazines.

WHAT IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE?
The Digital Divide, or the digital split, is a social issue referring to the differing
amount of information between those who have access to the Internet (specially
broadband access) and those who do not have access. The term became
popular among concerned parties, such as scholars, policy makers, and
advocacy groups, in the late 1990s.
http://www.internetworldstats.com/links10.htm

A digital divide is an economic and social inequality according to categories of
persons in a given population in their access to, use of, or knowledge of
information and communication technologies.
Wikipedia

http://www.philstar.com/business-usual/2013/06/10/952071/bridging-digital-
divide-through-barya-barya-surfing

The Internet has significantly improved the lives of Filipinos by providing access to
virtually unlimited information, communication, and entertainment possibilities.

(I couldnt agree more. The Internet has monumentally changed our lives. Who can
imagine life without it, right? Those people would most probably be the majority who
havent had access to it until now. )

Despite the Philippines ranking 2
nd
in South East Asia and 17
th
Globally as the
topmost Internet users, only a small chunk of us have ready access to the
Internet.

According to the United Nations, only 3 out of 10 Filipinos have access to the
Internet. There was only an average of 1.9 fixed internet connections per 100
Filipinos in 2011, and only 15% of Filipino households having at least 1 Internet
connection.

So, can radio still serve the purpose of informing, educating, and entertaining- to assist
people to take control of their lives and improve their livelihoods, in the face of new
media?

I SAY YES.