World Radio Day: Broadcasting enters its second century

By Mario Maniewicz, Director, ITU Radiocommunication Bureau

World Radio Day 2024 celebrates the enduring legacy of a timeless communications medium. Along with a remarkable past and irreplaceable present, radio promises a future filled with dynamic innovations.

Consider broadcast radio’s profound influence on our lives, from historic news, drama, and music programming to providing a portable safety net in contemporary emergencies.

Today, broadcast radio remains one of the most dynamic and lively media tools, disseminating information, entertainment, and educational material to vast audiences in countries worldwide.

A reliable companion – and a lifeline in emergencies

From the crackling wireless transmissions of the early 20th century to the digital waves of today, radio has shaped society, culture, and the way we connect with the world. It has been a constant and reliable companion – informing, entertaining, and educating audiences around the world for a century now.

As we enter the second century of radio broadcasting, the medium continues evolving. The transition to digital broadcasting and the rise of podcasting have democratized the creation and distribution of audio content, allowing a diverse array of voices to find resonance in the global soundscape.

In recent decades, radio infrastructure has become a crucial public safety net during emergencies. The portability of radio sets and accessibility of radio broadcasts can provide early warnings as well a lifeline during and after a disaster.

Radio goes where newer technologies cannot. As recent years have underscored, it can deliver education and health information in a pandemic, keep people connected and safe, and deliver entertainment amid the loneliness and isolation of lockdowns.

Broadcast radio continues to provide quick and affordable access to information in real-time, along with professional coverage about matters of public interest. Accessible anywhere and anytime, it reaches a broad and diverse audience. Research in both developing and developed countries points to radio as a powerful and trusted source of information.

Global cooperation on spectrum use

Broadcasting everywhere hinges on the availability of sufficient broadcast radio spectrum, harmonized usage, and global technical standards.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), with a history dating back 159 years, has continually updated the global radio treaty.

ITU is the custodian of the Radio Regulations – the international treaty on the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and, for space services, in associated satellite orbits.

This treaty ensures “the rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum by all radiocommunication services, including those using the geostationary-satellite or other satellite orbits,”  It has been maintained and updated regularly since 1906, “so that countries or groups of countries may have equitable access to those orbits and frequencies, taking into account the special needs of the developing countries and the geographical situation of particular countries.”   

These regulations ensure the availability of frequencies for distress and safety purposes and enable the operation of radiocommunication systems free from harmful interference.

The ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) offers the tried-and-tested forum for cooperation on spectrum use – the key ingredient to establishing trusted, globally recognized standards.

ITU-R Recommendations are internationally recognized standards that lay the foundation for technical trust in the quality, safety and compatibility of radio and television broadcasting systems, which in turn support inclusive sustainable development for people and the planet.

Reaching far and wide

Satellite technology promises to make radio even more widely available, bridging gaps to the remotest parts of our planet.

Innovations like Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB/DAB+) enable automatic tuning to emergency channels when public alert plans are activated. Another ground-breaking technology, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), supports emergency alert signalling for immediate mass notification.

Technologies like these, enabled by satellite networks, are reshaping the spectrum landscape, offering radio broadcasters new tools to enhance efficiency, creativity, audience engagement, and the entire listening experience.

Two new ITU reports explore user expectations and advancements in broadcast production and delivery:

“A framework for the future of broadcasting” and “A framework for future of broadcast production” are based on ITU-R Resolutions ITU-R 70 and ITU-R 71, which were updated and approved at ITU’s latest Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-23).

In a world where trust in media is constantly shifting, broadcast radio stands tall – providing credible information, opportunities for learning, and entertainment, while fostering the sense of connectedness among communities.

It remains an irreplaceable service as we celebrate World Radio Day.

Ongoing advancements, coupled with the resilience of older technologies, make it a trusted and accessible medium for diverse audiences worldwide.

Header image credit: UNESCO