The opportunities

The development of communication technology has been creating a more favorable media environment for journalism and broadcasting. The Internet and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter bring diverse and dynamic streams of social information, making the process of collecting, processing, producing, and transmitting broadcast information more robust and universal to all target groups. However, it is needed to consider the accuracy and directionality of information in utilizing the power of social media.

The interaction of broadcast media products with the public has also increased. Technology has changed the way media communicate, receive, and respond to information. New media offers endless possibilities for interaction between individuals as well as with other social institutions. The environment that best demonstrates the interactive characteristics of new media is social networks. The feature of “sharing” on social networks allows news to be disseminated and discussed faster and widely in unlimited online space, creating significant social effects.

Furthermore, broadcasting now is able to connect easily to data banks in all areas of the world. The Internet is a super worldwide information channel, allowing people to connect and share information as well as the accumulated knowledge of all mankind easily and instantly. The Internet does not only help the public to view the current news but also past news, articles, and programs. It also provides readers with a scientific and effective search engine for information. New media have eliminated the boundaries of space and time and filled in the gap in culture, knowledge, economics, and technology. Information has become more readily available and accessible than ever.

The emergence of the Internet, on the one hand, put pressure on traditional broadcasting while opening up new horizons for online broadcasting. Since 2000, the number of radio broadcasting listeners on the Internet has increased by 27% per year. By 2018, it was estimated to be around 68.4%. In the US, the trend of digital radio listeners was approximated to increase continuously from 2013 (147.8 million users) to 2018 (forecast to be 183.4 million users). From 2008 to 2014, the amount of time spent on online radio broadcasts has more than doubled (from 6 hours 13 minutes per week to 13 hours 19 minutes per week). Web radio is a breakthrough and has overcome the disadvantages of traditional broadcasting. Web radio allows users to listen to live broadcasts or play back programs broadcasted on the Internet. The download or offline feature that automatically downloads and saves radio programs to personal computers has become an effective tool for web radio in maintaining users. The digital application also creates various new forms of popular radio broadcast, such as smart radio or listening on demand. For example, users are able to listen to the radio with sounds, images, and information displayed on the screen, or in the form of data provided based on the interest of the general public like the name of the song playing, the text of radio programs, the traffic situation at the intersections for those who are driving, or even the flight information.

In recent years, the movement of the media environment has also created favorable conditions for broadcasting agencies to enrich their media. Most major radio stations have electronic websites along with traditional radio channels. Some stations also have television channels, daily newspapers, and magazines. The simultaneous existence of different types of media and journalism products in press stations allow them to expand their influence, creating conditions for financial support and brand promoting as well as conditions for taking advantage of information extraction capabilities. In Vietnam, the Voice of Vietnam has built a model of the country’s first multi-media agency with four types of newspapers: radio, television , online, and print newspapers. Assoc. Prof, Dr. Nguyen The Ky has analyzed, “The development of communication technology has created a new direction for journalism, which is integrating media. Multimedia is most evident through this integration. This is an objective development trend that meets the information demand of the public, and it is certainly the strongest development trend both now and in the future.” Besides, the development of technology 4.0 is bringing opportunities for broadcasters in simplifying and shortening the production and broadcasting process, and at the same time taking advantage of the power of smart radio and television technology to bring radio products to the public in flexible and effective ways.

The challenges

Broadcasting must have a competitive advantage over newspapers and social networks in the context of the changeable media environment. Print newspapers have the ability to analyze and criticize complex and long-term issues thoroughly that radio can hardly do. Television has the remarkable ability to diversify functions, create a vast space for the information, entertainment, and communication needs of people. The online newspaper is the synthesis of multimedia technology with its ability to convey information instantaneously, with no limitation and no periodicity, creating lively and attractive information. Events occurring in every corner of life are provided promptly and universally by media agencies and by social network users In that context, the radio broadcast is a convenient means of mass communication, the only channel that people can combine receiving information with other life activities. Broadcasting needs to focus on becoming a companion of users in life and work activities. Additionally, intimate radio information is a strength for radio broadcast to promote its role of becoming a spiritual friend in people’s lives.

Besides competing on information content and display method, the radio broadcast is under heavy pressure on the timing of released information. When information on electronic newspapers and social networks can be updated in minutes or seconds, information on radio broadcasts will become obsolete without a flexible and modern production process. Radio broadcasts must make effective use of social networks as a channel to promote, interact, and get feedback on products. Broadcasters must master technology to transmit information quickly and accurately.

To survive and develop, radio broadcasts need to meet the increasing demands of the modern community, especially the young who are experts in information technology. In the context of developing communication technology, the public does not want to passively receive information, but they want to actively update information at any time, anywhere, or choose whatever favorite information. They also have the need to participate in the creation of journalistic works to interact and express their personal views. Means of receiving information are also different from before since mobility and convenience are prioritized. Instead of receiving information through newspapers, radios, and televisions, now, mobile devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones are the means of communication used to receive information. The single-type transmission of information is changed. Instead of just being able to listen, watch or read, the public now can enjoy all three methods at the same time.

The industrial lifestyle also creates great pressure on work and time. Therefore, the public requires information to be the most current, comprehensive, and dynamic. They are also not easily satisfied with the one-way propaganda, praise more than criticism, unattractive news, and a lack of lively and intimate information.

Thus, besides better meeting the needs of existing public groups, radio broadcasts must also focus on creating products that are adapted to the way and needs of the young public to receive information. Radio productsdonot only need attractive content and forms but also be compatible with receptions on smart devices with high interactivity.

In fact, with the application of science and technology, radio broadcasting in Vietnam over the years has made remarkable progress. Radio stations are constantly innovating modern techniques and increasing coverage and quality, as well as having different methods of transmission and streaming on the Internet. Currently, the public can listen directly to all programs of Voice of Vietnam on their website vov.vn. Other local-level stations also put broadcast their programs on websites such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long, and Binh Duong Radio station. On September 9, 2010, Viettel launched Viettel Radio, marking the appearance of the first radio channel on mobile phones using 3G technology in Vietnam. The application of digital technology to radio production allows for more convenient and easier implementation of live programs in an open and interactive way with the audience. Many specialized radio channels have been opened to meet the diverse needs of the public such as VOV Traffic, JoyFM, VOV English Channel 24/7, VOV Health and Food Safety channel. It can be said that these powerful innovations have helped radio broadcasts regain the attention of the public as well as maintain regular and large audiences. These are significant successes for radio broadcasts to continue promoting their role and position in the context of the rapidly changing media environment.

Radio stations must build a team of journalists who master advanced technology and have professional ethics. In the 4.0 industrial revolution, technology dominates and changes the production of social products; thus, it is a direct and mandatory requirement for radio journalists to apply the power of technology to their work to create products that are suitable and respond to new trends. However, when automated technology and smart devices take the throne, it is also a time when journalists have to deal with various risks and high demands of social responsibility as well as professional ethics to orient and perform their jobs in the appropriate manner, bringing the highest benefits to the audience.