No Longer One-to-Many: How Web 2.0 Interactivity is Changing Public Service Radio’s Relationship with its Audience

Abstract

The relationship between public radio and its audience has undergone significant change since the adoption of Web 2.0 technology. Web 2.0 allows an audience to interact easily and speedily with a public service broadcaster, forming an inclusive, two-way listening environment. This contrasts with the traditional one-way model of public broadcasting. This research project used New Zealand public radio broadcaster RNZ National as a case study. The phenomenon was studied from the perspective of those who listen to content, and those who create it. Findings include the ready adoption of Web 2.0 technology by the audience and the validation of that participation by RNZ National hosts and producers.

Notes

¹ Unlike Australia and Britain, New Zealand does not have a government funded public television service.

² All italics in this paragraph have been added to indicate new labels.

³ RNZ National does not broadcast talkback. It is only heard on New Zealand’s commercial stations.

⁴ Names used in full on-air have been abbreviated.

⁵ Prime Minister of New Zealand in September 2015.

⁶ RNZ is a crown entity funded by the New Zealand taxpayer. The Radio New Zealand Charter sets out the principles and objectives required of RNZ by the Crown. The Charter is revised every 5 years. Its most recent revisioning occurred in 2016 and included, for the first time, reference to “delivery platforms” (RNZ, 2016).

⁷ On September 15, 2015 it was announced that 200 New Zealand citizens were being held in Australian detention camps on Christmas Island, an Australian territory off the coast of Indonesia, awaiting deportation to their country of origin. The conditions in the detention centers were reported to be very poor.

⁸ The price of housing in Auckland has increased in the last 10 years due to its burgeoning population, and home affordability is a popular topic in the media.

⁹ These are defined as stories about current news events as opposed to interviews with international guests.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maureen Sinton

Maureen Sinton (BA, MCS, AUT) is a PhD student at Auckland University of Technology. She is a former talk radio producer, television producer, and television programmer. Her research interests include talk radio and public service radio.