Basic Radio Journalism

Preface

When television became popular in the 1950s, there were predictions that radio would die. Half a century on and radio is actually much more exciting and diverse than ever before.

There is enormous competition for audiences. People are faced with a choice of up to 300 television channels, 1400 newspapers, 8000 magazines and millions of websites – all screaming for attention.

Against this background, the radio audience has held steady, with more than 91 per cent of people in the UK listening to the radio each week. Radio is still an essential part of the daily lives of 35 million people – and news is an important element of many stations.

This means that radio offers a challenging and rewarding career to journalists at all levels, from ...