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Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

LESSON 26

REPLICAS OF RADIO BROADCAST

The TV seemed an advanced visual- form of radio broadcast in its early days, in almost all the

countries without exception. In most cases TV programs in the US looked similar to the radio

programs in that continent with the only difference that one could see the talent and the

surrounding.

In Pakistan radio broadcast had come to age with some of very popular programs like radio

dramas, talk shows, news and musical programs. The production set up was firm and people

working at a radio station were very much familiar with the specific nature of the techniques

employed in the broadcasting business.

With the TV broadcast, starting in November 1964 from Lahore, some of the broadcasting

pattern matured at the radio station, were borrowed almost in the same fashion.

It was just a coincidence that the building where the TV station was housed was across the

road where the building of the Lahore radio station is situated. Later, when the TV station

building was ready in few years, it was again adjacent to the building of the radio station.

Why we highlight this point? A number of staff members at the radio station were engaged in

the TV broadcast that would move from one station to another many times a day. This gave

TV broadcast a color of radio broadcast.

The Staff

There was hardly trained staff available to run a TV station, especially on the programming

side. On the technical, or ENG side, cameramen, lighting director or set designers were

available but to manage programs the TV had to rely on the people who were trained in radio

broadcast. Over a period, the staff required to operate a TV broadcasting house from all

possible aspects, has been trained at the academy set up in the early seventies in Islamabad.

The academy is also proving handy in imparting instructions to in-service staff on new

experimentation in the field of TV production. Foreign qualified and locally experienced people

have been managing matters at the academy.

News Reading

Since airing news was the foremost thing in the early days of TV broadcast, ironically people

trained in reading news for visual medium were not available. Services of the radio

newscasters were hired. They would rush from the radio station building to TV station studio,

get their make up done a very different experience altogether, and be ready to read news ---

in almost the radio style.

In the early days of TV broadcast, there was hardly any footage of news related events at

hand, the news reading was a simple replica of radio news with the only difference that one

could see the broadcaster and discuss his/her face and the gestures during the reading of

the news script, making it difficult for a viewer to keep that rapt attention attached with

listening to radio news.

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Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

Discussion / Talk Shows

Likewise, the visualizing of a talk show or a discussion program was not any different from the

one, viewers were familiar as radio listeners. An anchor person was there to guiding and

facilitating the partakers to continue their talk by sitting across a table. Since microphone was

not available the way they are available today, one mike would move from one speaker to

another to keep the voice in tact for recording purposes. In the meantime if another speaker

chips in, the viewers could see him or her making the observation but not able to get the

words uttered. These days one can hear even to a minute voice/ remarks made by a speaker

during a discussion which gives more scope to understand what is going on and what others

are thinking when a speaker is talking.

Programming

The replica problem was not limit to current affair shows; the issue was very much the same

with the programming side of the TV broadcast.

Dramas

If you listen to the sound-track of a TV drama in its early broadcasting days, you may feel like

listening to a radio drama. And quite understandable for the sequence of the play, the

dialogue delivery, the diction and the speech treatment - all had come from radio plays. Mostly

the radio drama producers/ directors had got a job with the TV as there were no trained

people available in the market knowing the electronic media techniques and use of devices

like microphones, amplifiers and consol and handling the recording panel etc. Since the radio

drama producers were diehard in their trade, it was obviously a big ask from them to produce

a TV drama we re familiar with these days. Even the musical effects during a drama would

fully match with the ones given in a radio drama!

Musical Evenings

Music programs have always been a source of entertainment in the electronic media. Radio

had brought the music at every household through its various programs from a single

person singing at a studio or a music concert arranged for this purpose. When it came to TV

broadcast, the style of presentation remained almost an imitation of the radio broadcast.

The visual and non visual mixed up badly in the early days of TV broadcast - the only

difference was as if one was watching the way it would have been happening at a radio

station but remained out of sight because visual medium was not available.

Children's Show

Among programs which appeared a ditto copy of a radio program, was children's weekly

show. Almost the same sitting arrangement, one uncle or aunt talking to the kids, making

them say some poem, joke or answer a question by coming on the mike. By seeing such

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Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

program a radio listener would always think; well, ok this was how a radio children's program

would have been recorded.

Same had been the case with programs meant for women, farmers, forces and others.

In most cases one would find that the program was being conducted by the voice / person

doing almost the same program on radio!