Lecture Four

This lecture focused particularly on the element of sound and its role within the field of journalism.  It consisted of two interviews (which we ironically listened to as a podcast) with Richard Fidler and Steven Austin, two well-known Australian radio reporters.

What I found especially interesting about Fidler’s interview were the sentiments he expressed in regards to the inherent differences between radio and television. He argued, and impressively too, that the radio is a much more intimate medium than television. In Fidler’s opinion, television is a “high impact” medium that “comes at you from a distance,” whereas the medium of radio does not come at you as such but rather appears almost as if it is coming from inside your head. Having never thought of radio like this, Fidler’s observation caused me to reflect a lot on the intimate quality and power of radio.

Furthermore, Steven Austin raised some equally perceptive ideas about the power of radio and sound in regards to journalism. Austin stated that it is easy to tell if someone is lying or being fake on radio, as there are no visual distractions such as those associated with television. Like, Fidler Austin evidently favours radio over television.

The interviewer asked both men why they believed radio has remained such a popular medium while other media such as television and newspapers had fallen by the wayside. Both Austin and Fidler responded that they believed it was due to the intimacy of this medium. Fidler also offered the view that radio has maintained its popularity thanks to its ability to thrive and blend into new, modern platforms such as podcasts. Contrastingly, Austin opines that radio has remained resolutely popular due to the fact that people are time-poor and as such find the qualities of radio particularly advantageous. 

To listen to some of Richard Fidler and Steven Austin's work, click here.