The Radio2005 Conference in Melbourne covered a huge number of social and cultural topics relating to radio. Among other topics, the conference heard about digital radio, international broadcasting, democracy through radio and youth radio.
A session at ABC Melbourne also showcased a range of radio features and discussed feature making techniques.
The conference heard from Jim Barbour that 5.1 multi-channel sound is being used in some experimental radio programs and that digital radio can potentially be used to deliver the popular new audio surround format through radio sets.
In the same session, Chairman Steve Ahern suggested that digital radio receiver chips should be included in mp3 players and mobile games devices such as PSP players, so that radio is not left out of these emerging new portable media devices, and Dominique Norbier updated the audience on digital radio progress in France.
In another session, Monash University’s Andrea Baker identified a new, global, youth subculture, obsessed with internet radio within Generation Y.
The ‘Net Radio Generation’ tends to be white, male, middle-to-upper-class, aged 18-24, urban-based, tertiary educated and in search of alternative music not found on conventional radio.
Baker compared the consumption of net radio by more than 100 tertiary students enrolled in media, communications and journalism programs at Monash University, the City University of New York and New York University. She found that a net radio subculture has clearly emerged and is thriving among North American tertiary students and is also developing in Australian tertiary students.
“North American and Australian tertiary students are disillusioned with public and commercial, conventional, terrestrial radio; and are fighting for, and building, new alternative media outlets such as net radio stations. The students argue terrestrial radio fails to provide access to the 30 new, alternative music genres on offer on web radio.”
The missing genres include Ambient Pop, Cowpunk, Boot scooting music; Doom Metal, Folktronica, Clipped computer noises; Hair Metal, Japanese noise; Queercore, Rap Meal; Columbian music and Yodelling Zydeco.
Head of SBS Radio, Quang Luu, spoke in favour of the introduction of digital radio broadcasting to enhance SBS Radio’s capacity to produce new and innovative programs for Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse community. He wants digital radio to deliver at least one new channel, which would be used to target second and third generation Australian’s with ethnic backgrounds through programs presented in English.
Gail Phillips and Mia Lindgren outlined the philosophy of their radio course at Murdoch University and explained the benefits of student practical work, using on-line broadcasting, and described a teaching experiment where an audio documentary was used as an online learning vehicle.
In the same session, RMIT University’s Bruce Berryman discussed his work teaching radio for digital platforms, and SBS Radio’s Training Manager, Jillian Hocking, spoke about the way she had to re-evaluate her training methods in the face of the many different cultural backgrounds of SBS broadcasters.
Head of Radio Australia, Jean-Gabriel Manguy, said Radio Australia has handled its funding crisis by changing its thinking from that of an international broadcaster to thinking like a ‘global broadcaster.’ The news and information that Radio Australia brings gives ‘information security’ to nations in our region, through a growing series of retransmission locations.
He said: “The success of international broadcasting revolves around providing high quality news and
information that is relevant to local audiences. By seeking to provide programming that is relevant to the daily lives of audiences in Asia and the Pacific, Radio Australia is moving closer to local audiences and becoming part of the domestic media landscape. With new program line ups, that engage listeners with relevant, challenging and interactive content, Radio Australia is filling an important gap between the global agenda and the local
interests of varied audiences across Asia and the Pacific.”
Canberra University’s Julie Posetti, in a presentation on bias, told the audience:
“Through a campaign reminiscent of totalitarian propaganda machines, the nine year old conservative Howard government has sought to emasculate Australia’s National Broadcaster, the ABC. The Coalition seems so afraid of the challenging ideas broadcast incessantly – and even on demand – into the lives of ABC consumers, that their approach to managing information is spinning dangerously out of control.
“John Howard’s grudge against the ABC has a long and personalised history which is rooted in
animosity towards the Corporation’s News and Current Affairs division, which produces programs like AM, PM and The World Today on radio and their television stable-mates, 7.30 Report, Four Corners and Lateline. The major threat posed by these shows is their capacity to
serve as vehicles for political accountability, allowing reporters to embellish straight news reporting with analysis, interpretation, criticism and combative interviews, and it seems the Howard government wants to relegate them to virtual propaganda vehicles.”
Many other papers were presented. The program, and abstracts of all presentations are available by clicking below.