The time seems ripe to re-examine a mass media like radio, considering the drastic technological changes our society has undergone in recent years.
“Revolutions in Radio” is a project designed to redefine the medium, break down walls that currently exist between radio and other mediums, and, most importantly, find different ways audiences can experience radio that better reflects the way they live their life.
This project transforms four radio shows that air on Carleton College’s student-run radio station, KRLX, into a medium that better utilizes new production and publishing capabilities while taking into consideration the way the public experiences mass media.
Some of the ideas and technologies this project attempts to better incorporate into KRLX programming include video technology, instant messaging, and the Internet in general. Because these technologies are getting cheaper and becoming more integrated in our daily lives, now is the perfect time for a small radio station with little manpower to try and incorporate them into their product.
This project’s importance stems from the uncertain future that lies ahead for radio. At the rate technology is advancing, radio in general needs to update itself quickly just to maintain relevancy. So many stations have gone away because of their lack of foresight and ability to adapt to changes society has undergone. On the other hand, stations that have embraced Internet and podcasting capabilities have thrived in this new technological landscape. These stations have been able to successfully tap into the way society enjoys media, not the way it used to. Yet these stations have only begun to scratch the surface, and with technology that evolves this rapidly, stations need to be constantly reevaluating the way they deliver their content in relation to the way people enjoy consuming it.
This project is an attempt to show how quickly and easily stations can alter the way they produce shows in hopes of staying ahead of the curve and, most importantly, staying relevant.
For videos demonstrating several different strategies for expanding radio in the future, visit this project's website, Revolutions in Radio.
