World Radio Day 2022: The mass media started with the print medium in the world. The earliest form of medium to spread information was through pen and paper. As the technology emerged, scientists started experimenting with transmissions and sound waves. This gave birth to one of the popular broadcasting media – Radio.
World Radio Day: History
If we look at history, radio dates back to the mid-19th century in the world. It worked with the help of sound waves and signals which transmitted the messages to a specified bandwidth. In India, Radio arrived in the early 20th century. However, it took several years before it became the popular medium of mass media.
The need for Radio was felt keeping in mind the information dissemination for the uneducated people. The ones who were unable to read advertisements and newspapers were able to listen and understand things better after the emergence of Radio. To keep the popularity of the medium alive and to promote its use amongst all, World Radio Day is celebrated every year on February 13 worldwide.
The day was first observed in 2012 after UNESCO announced the celebration of the day in 2011 in its 36th conference.
World Radio Day 2022: Significance
The main objective of celebrating the day is to make people realise the present-day importance of the medium of the ear. Even after years of television popularity, radio is holding a reputed position in the world in the form of the medium of music, a travel companion, and raising voices of the community through community radio.
In a world full of fake news circulating on digital platforms, radio has still managed to reach out to people as a trustworthy news source. During the COVID-19 pandemic, radio has proven to be a credible source of information without inciting hate or discrimination.
World Radio Day 2022: Theme
The theme of World Radio Day this year is ‘Radio and Trust’. This theme was proposed keeping in view the credibility of the medium to disseminate news.
