Week Two: What is interactive radio?

Archived English Discussions Interactive Radio
#1

Hello everyone,

I hope you had a nice weekend. We are in the second week of our e-discussion. Welcome to those who have just joined us. If you have not introduced yourself yet and have not participated in the icebreaker activity, kindly do so in Week 1.

This week we are focusing on the main subject of our discussion, interactive radio. This is what you are expected to do this week:

1.Share your understanding of what interactive radio is.

2.Give us an example of a radio program that is interactive - it can be your program or another program you know about

3.Go through other participants’ contributions and comment on at least two radio programs that have been shared.

I would like to draw your attention to the useful resources we have compiled for this discussion. You can access them on this link http://discussion.farmradio.fm/t/useful-resources or visit the useful resources folder. You are also welcome to add resources you think might be beneficial to others.

In the last week of the e-discussion we will look at interactive radio approaches and tools that you are interested in knowing more about. To help us please go to the following link http://discussion.farmradio.fm/t/learning-list-of-interactive-approaches-and-tools and write what you want to learn about.

Enjoy your week!

#2
#3

Well, interactive radio to me refers to the nature of radio broadcast that is not one sided. Here am referring to having one end sending while the other receiving. Interactive radio is where the listener(s) is involved wholly and contributes to the topical discussion either directly through voice recording or bu use of ICT. It involves giving feedback instantly that is relevant to the issues raised and both parties value each other. In Farm radio language following the voice standards to the dot can improve interactive radio greatly and makes it more interesting and educative.

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#4

Interactive radio is involving the listener in the show or program.The host allows phone ins from the listener making it interactive and interesting as the listeners give different views on the issue being discussed.

Interactive radio also involves sms,facebook messages and tweets from the listener. For instance if it is a musical show the host plays requested songs from the fans,requested information is also replayed or if the audience requested for a particular expert to come then the host brings them on the show to tackle requested issues.

In interactive radio there is immediate feedback although sometimes feedback is delayed.

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#5

Hi Josephine, please explain what you mean by this.

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#6

Interactive radio to me is the nature of programming that focuses on all expectations of the broadcaster and listener.In this way the broadcaster targets on ideas that fits the listener’s desire.This is done through direct communication of the broadcaster and listeners by use of ICTs.

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#7

Feedback is delayed when may be the audience needs clarification on a particular issue but the expert is not available at that time. For instance today in my mid-morning show one listener asked which seed variety should be planted in the area.I had to advise him to contact the nearest agricultural office.

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#8

Interactive radio is a child of necessity born out of development in the media sector. There was a time when radio broadcasting was “we talk to them and they must listen”. Over time such style of broadcasting diminished in importance and impact. Then we grew to the stage of “we talk with them and they respond”, that is the simplest way to describe Interactive Radio - talking with the people and not talking to them. Therefore interactive radio as the name implies is the radio broadcasting style where the listener is made part of the process. It is the radio that applies the classical communication technique of encoder - channel - decoder - feedback. Some say interactive radio goes even beyond the feedback template because such school of thought believes that even in encoding the message that the decoder is involved. Therefore interactive radio employs the developmental principles of social inclusion, citizen participation, stakeholder engagement and all such tools in the designing and execution of the process. Since broadcasters like any other artistic endeavor involves reflection of the society, radio broadcasters in the Interactive Radio system involves the audience or listener in designing what they put out. Interactive radio does audience research to find out what the audience will like to hear “What would you like to hear”, using any available tool like surface mails - “Letter to the Producer”, telephones (wired or wireless type or gsm), focus group discussion and sampling technique, questionnaire dispensing, advertisement in other media like newspaper, television, social media, etc. So the process of audience involvement in the interactive radio begins with the first idea of conceiving an idea to broadcast. Interactive radio involves audience participation from the idea stage, to the research stage, writing the content stage (scripting) to the production and post production stage. Interactive Radio also uses the African Traditional Music motif of “call and answer”. Interactive radio does not involve the practice of opening the phone lines for our listener to call back, it involves making the audience being part of the broadcast, taking the radio to their community and making the content on location with their ambience and voices being part of the media content. Interactive radio is the product of development communication where the listener is given voice and confidence and ownership to media contents. It is also the practice of making the listener give intended or in-intended response to the output using all available tools of feedback. Interactive Radio has proven to be best style of radio broadcasting to reach the hitherto unreached communities or vulnerable groups. It is the best radio technique to reach the African farmers.

The best Interactive radio contents I have heard include: “FLAVA” (A youth targeted radio output that stresses the HIV and AIDS messages in Nigeria produced by BBC Media Action Nigeria, "STORY STORY Voices from the Market place (by BBC Media Action) and Nebor My Nebor - a pidgin English language family health oriented radio programme by BBC Medai Action.

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#9

Interactive radio basically means the presenter is moving with the audience. A presenter should know that the program is not about him or the audience. It is for both. Therefore, the presenter need to use simple radio language which will make the his audience understand. He/ she should care out a research on topics which are of interest to the audience. Do not delay the feedback in case of question from the audience. give the audience chance to talk to you through email, telephone, sms, letters and sometimes attend farmers fields, workshops and other farmers activities. Avoid to come out like Mr/ Ms/ Mrs, I know it all to the audience.

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#10

Interactive Radio referes to a situation where in a radio program allow different views/opinions from all round.
Listeners are free to express their views and are respected and sometimes taken into consideration.
Journalists are free to move around, collect opinions and some times engage listeners on live/recorded shows.

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#11

Right on spot @kasooha, I think allowing listeners feedback to be integrated as content on the radio makes it interactive. In Information Technology terminology this is almost analogous to the concept of web 2.0. Traditionally, websites were in such a way that authors write content and users comes in and read. Users were not given a chance to respond or provide their content.

With invention of web 2.0, this changed and now we see facebook/twitter where everything is user generated. Instead of users browsing and reading content from an author, now users can generate content and others can comments and have discussions.

This is similar to what we have here in this discussion forum. Cant we have radio programs which are somehow like this? Where all content is user/listener generated? We broadcasters can then be like moderators and guide the discussions…

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#12

Hi @Busi_Ngcebetsha, I think @Josephine_Mdenyo means sometimes the feedback is not instantaneous. But I think @Josephine_Mdenyo can give us more examples. @Josephine_Mdenyo please give us example of immediate feedback against delayed feedback.

#13

I like this very much @Jos. Do you have any radio program that is being done this way? Please tell us more…

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#14

In my opinion, Interactive Radio is making listeners or target audiences not only feel part of radio programming but get actively involved in the programs. This is a re-enaction of the everyday conversation we have with family and friends just that in this case there are standards and ethics.

This is done by making available platforms through which listeners can contribute to the program. These platforms include Phone-ins, Text messages, Social media (Facebook, WhatsApp, IMO, Tango, etc) and in some cases Vox Pops.

Vox Pops are used when your target audience or listeners do not have access to the internet and getting into the program via telephone is difficult. In this case, you go to the field and ask a section of them (public) to contribute by asking them about the topic you intend to treat.

I am the host of a relationship talk show ‘143 KASA’ on OTEC FM 102.9MHz in Kumasi - Ghana and I have made available almost all the platforms I talked about in paragraph 2. If the topic up for discussion is LOVE, I go about and ask people what they think about it. I begin my program by playing the responses I had before the resource person comes in to explain. During the program, I announce a number where all text messages and other forms of messages can be sent to. The program has a Facebook and Instagram fan pages. Time is also allotted for phone-ins.

All these are done to make the listener feel important and be an integral part of the program.

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#15

So will I be right to say in this case, it is the broadcaster that delays the feedback but not the listener.

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#16

Interactive Radio is about making the ordinary voices heard through using radio and phone.Interactive radio program gives a chance to farmers to speak, participate through feedback on issues that affect them. Interactive radio program does not just depend on the material recorded from the field but also uses other ways to get other voices on board such as phone in,phone outs SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook,twitter. A program that is interactive does not just share the number for farmers to give feedback and yet later on not reading feedback this is not interactive.Farmers feel valued and appreciated when they participate and their voices is heard on the radio.

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#17

Interactive Radio is when the producer tries to give opportunity to the local farmers to voice out their views through different forms of communication, phones, radio, by giving feedback and participate-fully in the radio program.
Farmers need to be involved just from the planning, for example, the name of the program should be suggested by themselves so that they should feel owning it.
Interactive program is also about knowing your farmers. the producer is supposed to be very friendly to them.

#18

That is true Josephine and sometimes the audience might not have the tools to provide instant and quick feedback because of their location and circumstances. It happens when maybe they send written feedback, with someone either collecting or delivering the feedback

#19

I really like this Chris, it is all about including the community participation, using available tools

Thank you for sharing an example as well. Please remember to comment on at least two other contributions from others

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#20

Thanks Pauline, indeed we use any available tool of communication for interactive radio. Any tool that can allow listeners to interact with the program