Radio In Australia In The 2000's

Radio in Australia fits within the larger landscape of media and communications and therefore needs to be considered within the broader framework of the media in general.

Academic theories began in the early nineteenth century as mass media became more common. Early Marxist views from the Frankfurt School were that mass media enslaved the working classes through “diversion and misinformation” (eds Cunningham & Turnbull, 2014, p.17). Antonio Gramsci added to this with his theory of hegemony, which was that the ruling classes at least gained the “resistant and unstable consent” (eds Cunningham & Turnbull, 2014, p.18) of the working classes.

These early theories of media (and therefore radio) don’t fit our modern understanding of the role of

This theory concentrates on the production and distribution of content as well as ownership, control and growth. In Britain in the early 2000’s, this was expanded by the theory of the media as a cultural industry, which included the role of audiences and actual media content.

The British school of thought on culture was that it should represent “the best that has been seen and thought” (eds Cunningham & Turnbull, 2014, p.18-19). This view of mass media, including radio, was that it was the culture of the lower classes. When we consider certain aspects of mass radio broadcasting today, we can see some truth to this such as the tragic case of the English nurse who took her own life after an Australian radio

A challenge for it today is that internet streaming is now affordable competition to radio. Radio also faces a challenge from phone companies to push internet radio because it uses bandwidth, which is their business.

Another challenge is that if traditional radio becomes more focussed on such things as talkback, because consumers are listening to music in other places, the tendency for commercial talkback to favour the right wing point of view could turn off young people, who tend to have less conservative views. There are many right wing “shock jocks”, but there are no left-wing shock jocks. Mickler (2005, p.29) believes that “populist talkback radio presenters...have been key agents in popularising conservative ‘anti-elitism’”.

Just as there are significant challenges, there are also many opportunities for radio in the future. Recognising the big changes that technology has brought, the commercial networks are trying to “position themselves as ‘content’ rather than simply ‘radio’.” (eds Cunningham & Turnbull, 2014, p.149) Furthermore, streaming, which young people are comfortable with, may allow radio to become relevant to young people