The course will open with an overview of the critical issues associated with the study of radio. It will then examine the history of radio in the UK, by exploring key historical moments in its development; for example, the origins of radio in the 1920s; radio during the Second World War; the origins and development of commercial radio; and contemporary developments in radio and the internet.
It will then focus on some the key theoretical tools associated with the relationship between radio and society; e.g., the public sphere, theories about news and audiences, the concept of public service broadcasting, and the commodification of the media. This will be followed by an overview of the nature and factors shaping the contemporary industry, and an in depth analysis of key radio forms, such as drama, documentary, music, news and talk radio. The module will conclude with an assessment of the future of radio in the developing multi-media environment of the twenty first century.

The purpose of this module is to introduce you to the study of radio,
primarily within an academic framework. In addition to analyzing some of
the conceptual issues you will also explore a range of radio productions,
reviewing each for its own merits and style. In particular we will be looking at adaptation, dramatisation, the radio play and the short story.
Radio is one of the most important means of mass communication, touching
on the daily lives of millions of people. This module provides a detailed
introduction to the history of radio and to the nature of the contemporary
industry. As well as surveying the forces which shape radio, the module takes a critical look at the different forms that radio content takes, as
well as developing an understanding of some of the theoretical problems associated with its study.