Torch, Summer 1982

8 Radio has invaded American life in a way unsurpassed by other communications methods. Few households have fewer than four or five radios of varying types. Few locations in the United States are outside the range of broadcast transmitters. Radio is immediate·, portable, varied, and pervasive in nature. People whose memories predate television can recall the expansiveness of radio drama which was limited only by the listener's imagination. Radio heroes were always stronger, more handsome, and more intelligent than real life. The familiar voices of today still lose stature when matched with a visual of the real person. Because of its availability, radio has become a primary influence factor for society. Three general areas of influences are readily discernible: 1. By its nature, radio is able to influence through the immediate availability of NEWS . News– papers are slow, and television relays the news only two or three times a day because of com– mercial considerations. 2. Radio influences through MUSIC. Communi– cations studies indicate that music is truly a universal language and an exceptional atten– tion focuser . Because of the memorability of a melody line and lyric, it can both conscious– ly and subconsciously influence . The message of music inexorably stays in the mind of the listener. 3. Radio influences by providing an audience for the persuasive opinions of a multitude of PROGRAMMERS . Suddenly people with no actual credentials can become the truth– bearers on causes ranging from sports to fam– ily life to theology . It is these three areas of influence that cause radio to be beneficial and at the same time dangerous. Robert Cirino in his work We' re Being More than Entertained discusses how the media can shape the opinions of millions merely by the selection of topics presented and by the biases of the program writers . NEWS INFLUENCES Radio's immediacy allows for news to be broadcast whenever it is available . Up-to-the-minute reports are the stock and trade of the industry. The selection of what is reported and who is chosen to state his opinions can easily influence the viewpoints of an audience . It is easy to see how a national viewpoint can be established by the slanted selection of news items . The almost total