Today we take it all for granted. You get in the car, you turn a knob and the vehicle is filled with music. It seems ordinary but when you think about it, it is astonishing. The music is coming from the air. It is in the air or more precisely, in the space occupied by the air. In fact, that space is a thick soup of signal-bearing waves. In the 19th century the invention of the telegraph accustomed people to the idea that sounds could be sent over a wire. That was comprehensible – sound moved through the wire. But that sounds could be sent through the air- that is through something intangible-seemed in the realm not of physics but of metaphysics.
Guglielmo Marconi was born in Bologna, Italy, on April 25, 1874. Marconi became interested in the possibility of wireless communication around 1894. By the end of 1894, Marconi was able to press a key and ring a buzzer at the other end of the attic, and in the spring and summer of the following year he carried his experiments outdoors.
In early June he filed his invention at the Patent Office, and on July 27 a gathering of government officials and engineers watched him transmit a message between two London post offices about a mile apart – which provoked Sir William Preece, the British Post Office’s chief engineer, to remark, “Young man, you have done something truly exceptional. I congratulate you on it.”
In 1901 he went on to produce his greatest sensation –the transmission of radio signals from Cornwall, England, to a receiving station near St. John’s Newfoundland. At age 27 Marconi was rich and famous and the radio age had arrived.
You know that the Radio broadcasting flourished on AM Bands because of their ability to cover longer distances. The FM Band due to its inability to travel a longer distance (over 50 miles) was used only as [STL] a link between the program production centers (studios) and transmitters. Another aspect of the use of FM band was the clarity and hi-fidelity as compared with telephone links and other link sources.
With the popularity of TV in 1925 (which uses FM band for its sound and AM frequencies for picture propagation) it was confirmed that noise free, clear and hi-fidelity listening in possible if FM frequencies are used for general broadcasts. Therefore, in 1940 radio authorities established the first FM band radio as a community radio. By the end of 1944 FM Radio was popular in listeners and afterwards linking with booster transmitters on the same frequency increased their range.
Most Popular Sound Broadcasting Medium
Community Radio Concept
Community radio undoubtedly is playing an effective role in many countries of the world in educating and empowering deprived communities. From NEPAL to former of the YUGOSLAVIA and form EAST ASIA to AFRICA and LATIN AMERICA, it proved to be an effective mouthpiece of oppressed people, voice of the voiceless citizens and a medium for development, Following paragraph explain what is a community radio, what are different types of community radio in different countries, and what is the state of community radio in different countries and what is the state of community radio stations in ASIA, EUROPE and AFRICA, Finally the issue of community radio licensing in PAKISTAN is also discussed.
WHAT IS COMMUNITY RADIO?
To understand the concept, we can term the community radio as local form of public service broadcasting “having citizens” access and participation and that is free from control of any public sector broadcasting organization as well as private commercial broad casting companies.
Generally, community radio station serves geographical communities or communities of special interest. They have social and public service objective and they are accountable to any public sector organization or commercial media companies. United national educational, scientific and cultural organization (UNECSO)’s primer on “How to do community radio” defines Community Radio Station as a radio station that is operated in the community, for the community, about the community and by the community.
“What is community radio?” a resource guide of World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters provides three aspects for a community radio, which are:
- Non-profit making;
- Community ownership and control;
- Community participation.
Community Radio in Asia
Community Radio in EUROPE
Community Radio in AFRICA
Community Radio in Latin America
Community Radio in Australia
Community Radio in United Kingdom
Community Radio in United States of America
FM radio attracted the commercial broadcasters and sponsors and by the end of 1944, thirty (30) FM Radio stations started commercial broadcasting and by the end of the decade 13 million FM Radio receivers were sold only in USA. In the year 1964 the first communication satellite was placed in synchronous orbit. This brought a revolution in FM broadcasting by internationalizing it. Most of the FM radio stations went on satellite and started international broadcasting in addition to the local broadcasts. With the placement of satellites in the orbit the commercial enterprises and sponsors increased their commercials to great extent to mint money. They used all sorts of entertainment material including sex and slangs in between commercial slots without keeping a watch on cultural norms and broadcasting ethics and thus they created an alien broadcast culture with negative impact on listeners mind and psychology specially the youth..
FM Radio thus grew more and more dangerous even in Pakistan where the sky was loaded with alien cultural program broadcast/telecast by neighboring country who too, do not care for their own cultural norms. This situation demanded immediate action.
The difference between AM and FM Radio can be seen from the comparative study as under: –
| Ser. | AM RADIO | FM RADIO |
| 1. | Works on strict media policy of Government of Pakistan | Not dependent on media policy except the religious & cultural norms and broadcasting ethics. |
| 2. | Strictly follows the set program schedules | Progressive flexible schedules to adjust listeners demands and need of the day |
| 3. | Restricted music policy | Free policy except vulgar ones. |
| 4. | One subject/topic at one time | Depends on the flow of the broadcast and listener on line. |
| 5. | One language at one time. | No restriction. |
| 6. | Each broadcast segment has a time limit. | No limit, except the main Slot duration. |
| 7. | Speech niceties and regards. | Depends on the age, and education of the listeners. |
| 8. | One way communication | One-to-one inter-personal approach. |
| 9. | Not free or frank in conversation. | Free and Frank. |
| 10. | Announcer/Presenter may not need knowledge of all subjects. | Needs to be knowledge able. |
| 11. | Limited vocabulary | No limitation |
| 12. | May not be a “on air personality” | Must be a personality |
| 13. | Mostly lacks common frame of reference with the listeners | Utilizes CFR of listeners. |
| 14. | Mostly non-friendly approach | Always friendly |