Reading Goebells' speech, I realised- like I know a few other people have- how much radio has been almost 'pushed out' in recent years. It's easy to forget just how amazing people thought radio was in the 20th century, because, to put it simply...there was no other way of communicating to the masses, so no doubt it was so treasured!
Goebells wanted to use radio for information, to get a point across to the masses. He seemed to feel that radio was not being used to it's full potential, and that it was being used as an easy way to make money, rather than dealing with political issues. He quotes that "A radio that does not deal with the problems of the day does not deserve to influence the broad masses."
Goebells seemed to stress that he wanted to make the most out of radio, because in those days, it was the only way they could reach people, and that playing music and any other entertainment was wasting what could be a great way to broadcast things of political significance. It's hard to imagine that now, as we have so many means of communicating- magazines, newspapers, TV, and of course, the internet.
We have so many different radio stations now that radio can be anything we want it to be! BBC Radio 1 for entertainment and music, BBC Radio 2 for adult-contemporary issues etc. Radio seems to have taken the backseat in terms of being able to broadcast to the masses, as internet and TV have taken over in our modern society.
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Hi Dani, Hope placement is good?
ReplyDeleteGoebbels (note the spelling) was Hitler's propaganda director and what he was doing was coating his need to use centralised broadcasting as a medium to construct (Nazi) ways of understanding everyday life with a veneer of respectability.
I think you're right that nowadays radio for most people is synonymous with music and entertainment. Radio then was more like TV now, in as much as there were more types of programme and many were presented as 'improving' rather than just entertaining (more like Radio 4 without the comedy and with more classical music!).
In terms of 'new' media displacing old, you might like to know that all over Europe Newspapers campaigned against commercial radio, claiming it would put them out of business. Did it? How have they responded to the internet? Do you know if they are going out of business now?
Dani I totally agree with the way now radio is thought of as only for entertainment use where as back then it was used as a way for the government to broadcast to the nation. Whereas now people rely more on television news and now there are so many radio stations dedicated just to playing music that it's hard to believe now that it was such a vital source of information.
ReplyDeletemiss you loads too. See you sooo soon though : ) xxxx
I like your take on Geobells as regards to the radio as an easy means to make money. I think this is the same for the internet which seems whatever site I've been on there appears to be some form of advertisement, whether it's a part of the site or a popup.
ReplyDeleteHope your enjoying your placement and London WoW hope you'll inform us all about it.