Radio was an integral part of Canada’s past, and it will continue to be a part of our future. While it has been thought that radio may give out to newer technologies such as internet and television, the opposite has happened in that they have merely helped to support and stimulate radio growth, rather than to stifle it (Lax 151). Since the inception of radio, it has been expanding, and new uses for radio are constantly being discovered. Another reason why radio has a future in Canada, and the rest of the world, is that our nation is a commuter society and while we are in our vehicles, the radio is our lifeline.
Radio in the Future:
As Frank Chamberlain so succinctly stated in his article entitled How Radio Wins Friends and Influences People, “we haven’t scratched the surface of radio in Canada in terms of what might be the field of public relations…in the field of information…education…cultural things” (Chamberlain 17). Radio of today is basically controlled by the advertisers who finance the different stations, but it has been questioned by many people whether or not advertising as a whole may be someday eradicated completely from the station’s airwaves. Chamberlain voices this vision of a future radio, along with the hope that various bodies who work for the public good, such as schools, churches, and welfare agencies, will discover that radio can be used, not only for entertainment, but also as a tool to connect people, and groups of people, from all over the world. There is nothing definite or permanent about radio, instead, it is a growing phenomenon that is ever expanding and changing, and this is the beauty of radio: its ability to adapt.
Radio’s Future in a Commuter Society:
A second reason why radio has a future is that our nation is a commuter society. Many people may never listen to the radio while they are in their homes; they may prefer the comfort of the television or the ease of the internet but when they are in their vehicles, the radio reigns. One of the reasons for this is that it provides the news, whether it is the morning, afternoon, or evening news. People like to be informed, and since many do not have the time to sit down for an hour and read the newspaper in the morning before they go to work, the car ride there can be a good time to catch up on what is going on, both locally and globally. Another reason is that people like to know the weather; they like to know what to expect for the day so they can dress appropriately, or so they know what kind of weather to expect while traveling. There is also the entertainment value of radio to consider, whether that includes listening to music, to the banter of the DJs, or to the infamous radio scams and prank calls. While listening to a CD may be the first choice for many when they climb into their vehicles, it is the radio they will inevitably turn to when checking for traffic jams, detours, or wait times to get over the border. In short, while some people may not necessarily want the radio, they do need it, which is one reason why its survival in our future is ensured.