Using Media

The listener controls the radio. He can turn it on or off. That is why you not only need to acquire an audience, but also know how to maintain one. Radio is one-time communication. The message needs to be clear, simple and precise for a one-time hearing. Don’t be afraid to repeat the information in different ways.

There are increasing opportunities for Scripture to be broadcast on local radio stations. But how can we produce interesting programs that people will want to listen to and hence engage with God's Word?

This manual was developed to explain how to plan, present and produce radio programs.

The material presented here is basic and fundamental. It is designed to train indigenous speakers. It will teach them how to reach their people through the medium of radio. An experienced media trainer should present the material to them. Anything new can then be fully explained to the student.  [more...]

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In seeking to free ourselves from the biases of a print-oriented culture, we need to consider, not only the kinds of media and discourse genre (e.g. narrative) that are most appropriate for oral cultures, but also the most effective ways to use those genres and media. What do non-readers like to see and hear? What do they enjoy listening to? Their choices will not necessarily be the same as those of print communicators. If the styles of presentation are ones which oral communicators prefer, then they will be more likely to listen, to understand, and to remember what they hear.

In this paper, Rick Brown argues that oral cultures have their own preferences for ways to communicate truth, and that these are often different from what print-oriented people prefer. In order to share the message most effectively, we need to find out what media and methods work best for them. In most cases this will include a multi-media approach with an emphasis on memorizing the Scriptures with the aid of high-quality recordings from skilled actors or voicers.  [more...]

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The issue of non-readers is an issue for all countries, as we see reading declining even in countries with high literacy rates. It has been estimated that in some African countries printed scripture only reaches around ten percent of the population. The challenge is therefore to develop translations that are relevant to the media, productions that are appropriate, and distribution systems for scripture that reach the non-reading population.

Viggo Søgaard argues for the kinds of Bible translation needed for non-reading populations, conforming to "the rules and requirements of spoken rather than written language". He describes the differences between oral and written communication and highlights some of the areas translators need to pay attention to when producing translations for audio media (emphasis, direct speech, intonation, context information).  [more...]

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