With people today, young and old alike, constantly glued to their desktop and laptop computers, tablet PCs, smartphones, and music playing devices, it will appear as if people have forgotten about one of their primary sources of music, entertainment and information in much earlier decades: the radio.
Whether you loved tuning into FM radio in the past to catch your favourite songs or to AM radio for the latest news, there's no doubt that the magic that transpired inside radio stations was a major fixture in the lives of people back then. They kept track of the times of their favourite radio programmes and they maintained a list of preferred disc jockeys or DJs to listen to at different timeslots, and kept the radio on as they went through their daily routines at work, at home or in the car.
Today, people don't need to have an actual working radio plugged in, with the antenna raised, to be able to listen to radio programmes. They can go to the radio station's website and listen to their live streams online, and even watch videos of the DJs working their shifts in real time on the sites.
It's definitely a different, more interactive experience, it seems. But should more people be listening to radio — regardless if it's in the traditional or the more newfangled way — instead of just listening to songs on their personal music players or getting their news from TV or the Internet?
Here are five reasons why staying tuned to radio stations is still a fun and engaging activity in these techsavvy times:
1. The playlist is pleasantly unpredictable. When you download music into your portable music player, you know exactly what songs you have and may even know each one by heart. When you tune into a radio station, however, you can still find yourself pleasantly surprised by the choice of songs that they play, and you can even rediscover old songs that you like or learn about new artists that sound promising and are worth giving a listen. After all, that's how people found out about the latest releases and musical acts back then — a DJ would play new tracks and introduce new artists through interviews, and people can keep track of the ones they like.
2. Disc jockeys provide additional entertainment and information. Instead of hearing just songs on your music player, listening to a radio station will lead you to come across a DJ's wit and gift of gab. They have to introduce tracks, provide interesting trivia, promote products or thank sponsors, and share some of their knowledge and opinions about a wide range of topics related to music. You may just end up learning something new or admiring a DJ's talent for maintaining a lively conversation on air.
3. You stay up to date with breaking news and local or national events. Aside from playing music, radio stations also announce breaking news stories of interest. This is why motorists still like to stay tuned to radio as they drive — they stay entertained by the music and updated on traffic situations, current events, and other relevant occurrences.
4. Radio keeps you company and provides a musical background to your day, whatever you may be doing. Radio has always been great at setting the mood. You can tune into a station that features mostly pop songs if you like feeling upbeat (or if you need a peppy background as you clean the house). You can reminisce about old times when you flip to a station that plays old, classic love songs. And you can keep your cool on the road as you drive if you choose easy listening radio.
5. Listening to the radio makes you feel upbeat or relaxed. Because music easily taps into a person's emotions, there's no question that people rely on radio stations to bring them music that they love, that they feel inspired by, or that they simply love humming along to. Radio stays with you during good times and bad, always in the background, playing a soundtrack to your day — which is why it still remains a much-loved medium today.