There was a time about six to eight decades ago when the radio was a rarity and adorned the homes of a few rich people. But today radio sets are manufactured on such a large scale and are comparatively so cheap that every lower middle class home hums with radio songs and music. The transistor radio enables you to hear news, listen to cricket commentaries and listen to music wherever you may be, whether you are travelling in a train, picnicking at a hill station, or vegetating in the country.
The advantages conferred by the radio on the common man are numerous. He can listen to the latest news, national and international, and keep himself abreast of what is happening around him. The radio is an asset especially in times of war when people are so eager to know the latest military situation that they have no patience to wait for the evening or morning newspaper. Again, when a Test Match is going on the cricket fans can listen to the running commentary on the radio and follow every moment of the exciting game.
The radio is popularly used as a means of entertainment. Popular film songs, classical music and western music are broadcast regularly from the different radio stations in the country. Now thanks to the Radio FM the listeners are also entertained with broadcasts of plays and quiz programmes. Thus, without stirring from our house, seated in a chair or lying on bed you get varied recreation from the radio.
Broadcasting can be used for educating people. All India Radio broadcasts educational programmes for villagers, students, and women. The radio has been used to spread the knowledge of Hindi among South Indians. Talks by Experts on current topics impart information and help the average citizen to form his own opinions. The radio, along with the newspaper, plays a vital role in educating the public and making democracy a real success.
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Like almost every good thing in the world, the radio can be misused. When its volume is inordinately raised or when it is tuned in at midnight, it is a source of nuisance to neighbours. Secondly, the radio being a medium of mass communication, the standard of entertainment provided by it is necessarily low. In this connection, it may be mentioned that the commercial advertisements, sandwiched between popular film songs, jar on the ears of many people and get on their nerves. Finally, in countries ruled by dictators, broadcasting is used to carry on false propaganda and impose the views of the rulers on the people.