Language Revolution and Dhaka’s Radio Boom!Is Bangladesh prepared for the final frontiers?

I am happy to know that Bangladeshi people are doing what they can to save their ‘Bangla’ language, which I discovered, is the world’s 5th widely spoken lingo but I also see that there’s encroachment particularly in the radio waves which could result in a disastrous culture shock for many people across the nation. This, I am saying from direct experience.  In my recent car ride experience in Dhaka, I was tuned into some of the local FM stations hoping to hear some local music but I was treated with Deep Purple and Aerosmith instead (why can’t we have some southasian music programs). Even the female radio presenter, who I should add has a promising radio voice, was alternating between English and Bangla. I have nothing against English language (actually, it is my earner in life ) but if proper steps are not taken to differentiate English and Bangla Language programs, the outcome could be fatal as language is a powerful tool that can open and block access to opportunities in life at the same time.

Many Dhakaduites that I have met have little then fair English abilities (and I see many young people interested to learn English and are joining special language classes) and while I was enjoying my car ride, I saw many people in the streets and in the chai shops all plugged in and I am assuming they were tuned into the FM stations and the driver of the car said I was right. FM surely is in a boom here despite its primary stage but programs that broadcast bilingually should be careful so that they don’t help create more gaps in an already divided society. [Will discuss more below on the ‘gaps’]

The production chiefs and the presenters should take into consideration various factors while they design show concepts or write scripts and that goes for the music selection to be broadcasted as well. Radio is one of the most powerful weapons in the media arsenal as it is cheaper in the receiving end and the costs to disseminate are relatively cheaper and more resource-full then other media outlets but it is imperative to realize that these radio waves have a power to influence the audience in a huge way as it’s not just the music or what the presenter is saying but also the way the radio waves interact with the brain waves of the audience. It is physics my dear with some biology! So it is utterly important to also realize what kind and type of music you are broadcasting as music itself has powerful abilities to influence people so it is important to note that you aren’t broadcasting sad and heavy music in the morning and active music in the evening, for an example. Music being broadcasted needs to be parallel with the time and ambience or music itself can be fatal too. Radio guys have a social responsibility while at the same time provide some descent entertainment. Now, that’s tough, isn’t it? Now, that’s the power of radio which is at the receiving end a very visual communication. And these days, the saying goes – it is not what you can’t do, it is what you can imagine, you can do.

[Now, back to the ‘gaps’]Bangladeshi people and sociologists and media experts and then eventually the government will realize slowly how powerful the radio can be considering the fact that the radio waves travel 360 degrees in split-second transmission straight to the audible ears and the audience needn’t know how to read/write and their investment is a one-time purchase of a radio that will either run on batteries or electricity and now it is even mobile with cellular phones. [Considering the fact that a daily newspaper here is priced at 10 Tk, the monthly expenditure for news for a layman is rocketing at 300 Tk which means the lower level of societies have no access to ‘information’; forget the ‘right of information’ issue which a daily newspaper recently covered] Radio is thus cheaper and at the same the most effective. Do you guys broadcast news and issue based programs? I am asking this as I am unaware and I little than fairly understand ‘Bangla’ but am looking forward to at least speak this language and surprise a few people in my life. So, realize the power, ladies and gentleman, it is no doubt endless but again, going back to the ‘encroachment’ that I earlier mentioned in reference to the ‘language revolution’ the radio has brought with it, the pitfalls are also endless to such a state that the prevailing cultures of the nation might disappear and trust me, nothing is more stupendous then having an identity crisis as your identity.

The use of English language will primarily do two things – firstly, it will generate more audience who are eager to learn the language and that will soon multiply and boom too and secondly, the language and the music will open up gates of new perceptions and culture which I should add are very influencing as the fruits are very attractive for this young nation with young people. This will no doubt result in new ideas and new ideas means a new division in the society. Is Dhaka and Bangladesh ready for the new frontiers?

[The blogger has five years experience in the field of radio broadcasting]

~ by deadkid on June 12, 2007.