There’s no lie that the coronavirus pandemic is still an ongoing grave threat to everyone. Our daily activities have been restricted, our movements are being traced, and almost everything should be properly regulated. But, one thing that makes the situation bearable is we are always being informed and updated.
Thanks to different broadcasting media, that has been the source of information for everyone worldwide, especially radio broadcasting. For suburban areas with no TV network satellite, radio broadcasting has been the primary source of information. But it’s not only the new dissemination that radio stations play a role amidst the pandemic.
Let’s dive into what other roles radio stations play during the wave of this massive global threat.
Top Radio Stations in NYC Aids In Immediate News Dissemination
In the U.S alone, especially in the big states such as New York, many individuals are still tuning in daily to different New York radio stations to stay on top of everything and get updated with what’s currently happening around the city. Many top radio stations in NYC are focused on delivering news about the situation and the updates of the COVID-19.
Bloomberg Radio, for one, has a dedicated slot only to discuss critical and live coronavirus updates. Everything that matters to the public regarding the pandemic’s current situation, the damage, the death counts, and updates on the vaccine are all included in the discussion. They invite different personalities to further expound the discussion as they are joined with their veteran line of radio journalists.
A similar take on this one is the “coronacast” of ABC Radio in Melbourne, Australia. It is a podcast show whose main purpose is to answer questions about the pandemic, provided the latest news and research. These are just a few of the initiatives that many radio stations worldwide take to ensure the public is provided with needed information every day.
And this is why it’s not surprising that media consumption is peaking, and listening to radio becomes a public’s daily consumption.
Radio Helps In Providing A Sense of Normalcy
But it’s not all about news broadcasting that radio is providing the public. Another good thing that radio broadcasting provides is its capability in giving a slight sense of normalcy amid the fear of the current pandemic through entertainment.
There are many radio stations that are organizing a live concert to continue entertaining the public. These live concerts aid in gathering funds to help those in need and struggling during the pandemic. Moreover, some groups are actively organizing to continue to entertain the public even though some entertainment venues are closed.
They see radio broadcasting as a safe place to continue delivering fun and entertainment to the public. Event organizers like Erica Fee of Rochester Fringe deliberately expressed a need to continue and figure out how theater, comedy, and music will continue even amid the constant threat.
Fee and Dan Morgenstern, Radio Social’s co-owner, share the same values: to maintain that emotional connection by providing the public with a little sense of normalcy through entertainment.
Radio Broadcasting Helps In Educating the Public
It’s not just about informing the public of the current pandemic situation, but also radio broadcasting helps educate the public. The constant reminders on the importance of physical distancing, why we should wear our face masks and face shields all the time, and the significance of practicing proper hygiene are just a few things.
Radio broadcasting even extends its role in educating the public on what they can do during the pandemic’s heightened tension. One of the best examples is that many radio stations are focused on helping individuals in their livelihood. It’s evident that many workers are struggling. Thankfully, some radio stations provide help, such as tips and tricks on what they can do during the pandemic.
Take it from a farmer in Nigeria, where she’s struggling to sell her crops. One radio station focused on livelihood helped her survive and made it through the hard times. The radio station does not only provide crucial COVID-19 safety tips but also on how she can do better at her farming.
Another take on this is how radio education extends the connection between students and teachers. Since schools are on lockdown and children are considered at a high-risk for the virus, educational initiatives are taking place with radio education.
The primary vision of these educational initiatives is to make sure that children are still learning and to feed their interest in their studies. For this reason, radio stations are also focused on providing a live education to all their listeners.
The initiative is to make sure that even with the current pandemic, children at home are still educated by listening to a recorded or a live broadcast of a specific lesson. Many Latin American teachers are collaborating in making sure this project will continue until the pandemic ends and further reach out even after the pandemic.
Radio Is Still A Strong News Medium
Unarguably, radio broadcasting is still a powerful medium for news dissemination. It has proven its reliability even more during these tough times when the world faces a global threat. With widespread “fake news” and uncontrolled social media waves, people are turning into solid and reliable news that only radio stations can provide.
Even with the increasing growth of Facebook users, people rely on and place their trust in these radio journalists that build an emotional and humane connection rather than trusting to a wave of trending posts in a social media newsfeed. Many individuals are looking for a level of trustworthiness when listening to radio news rather than believing in a specific trending post with no valid resources.
Final Thoughts
The world is taken aback when the coronavirus pandemic hits. Different industries were affected, and everyone is trying hard to make it through every day. However, one of the things that made thriving bearable is radio broadcasting assistance in our daily lives. The constant news dissemination, the live updates, and the level of reliability of broadcasters made things a little bit easy. No wonder that radio broadcasting is still a powerful medium of communication and information.