Campus Radio Version 2.0: The Convergence of Campus Radio with Digital Media

Campus Radio Version 2.0: The Convergence of Campus Radio with Digital Media Kim Bernard G. Fajarado Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Manila kbgfajar[email protected]du.ph Abstract. This study intends to analyze the use of digital technologies in four (4) campus radio station case studies. The informants of this research are the four largest universities in the Philippines and members of College Radio Network – Ateneo de Manila University’s Radyo Katipunan, Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas’ Tiger Radio, University of the Philippines’ DZUP and Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ DZMC. To study individual perceptions toward digital transformation of the campus radio, qualitative methods were integrated in the study. Extensive investigation about how organizational structure on campus radios transforms through time, through the aid of technological advancements, requires qualitative measures. The findings determined in this study suggests that digital platforms have the capacity to transform campus radio organizational structure by advancing the efforts of the station to maintain its relevance. In order to generate auxiliary content via social media, podcasts, and mobile technologies, each of the stations utilizes digital media as a substantial platform. Likewise, provided is an overview on the organizational aspects of campus radio that can guide future and related research. Keywords. Political crisis reporting, mainstream media, alternative media, best practices 1 Introduction Radio is a medium characterized by its constant pace with the rapid changes in technology. The end of the radio industry is not necessarily signified by the digital era. Radio is still significant and sustainable (Taylor, 2015). Despite the advent of new technology, radio remains the most notable medium due to its availability (Fleming, 2002). However, at this time, radio is seen to be less important compared to other media. Despite this, radio has proven to be one of the most prominent media in the course of history. It has been used as news source, as a form of entertainment and as a catalyst for social change. However, due to the constant development in technology and the changing lifestyle of the public, radio as a medium has also continually adapted to the call of times. With the digital technologies at hand and in the present, the industry is yet again adjusting at the risk of being regarded as merely nostalgic and irrelevant (Lichterman, 2015). On the other hand, it can be that radio is only being challenged by the modern changes. Profitable and community-based radio organizations like campus-based radio stations primarily 71 Fajardo, K.B.G. Campus Radio Version 2.0 make use of social media, podcasts, online streaming, and alike technologies to positively shift into digital platforms (Lichterman, 2015). Meaning to say, radio is not vanishing via digital technologies however is transfiguring because of them (Sherwood, 2015). It has become a requirement for radio stations to develop technologically so to remain a vital fount of information and engagement with local community (Atkin & McCardle, 2015). By far, living in the digital age gave radio the struggle to keep up with the rapid advancements of technology. Radio is redefining itself by being on the internet and on the mobile phones. If used effectively, these digital platforms can flourish the structure of the radio towards a vibrant future. As radio transforms against the backdrop of digital technology, it comes into a new and improved version. On this research, campus radio’s existing digital presence is to be investigated. The unambiguous focus of this paper comprises the four campus radio stations from the four largest universities in the Philippines, with significance to online technologies in the contemporary campus radio culture. Radio is a medium characterized by its constant pace with the rapid changes in technology. The end of the radio industry is not necessarily signified by the digital era. Radio is still significant and sustainable (Taylor, 2015). Despite the advent of new technology, radio remains the most notable medium due to its availability (Fleming, 2002). However, at this time, radio is seen to be less important compared to other media. Despite this, radio has proven to be one of the most prominent media in the course of history. It has been used as news source, as a form of entertainment and as a catalyst for social change. However, due to the constant development in technology and the changing lifestyle of the public, radio as a medium has also continually adapted to the call of times. With the digital technologies at hand and in the present, the industry is yet again adjusting at the risk of being regarded as merely nostalgic and irrelevant (Lichterman, 2015). On the other hand, it can be that radio is only being challenged by the modern changes. Profitable and community-based radio organizations like campus-based radio stations primarily make use of social media, podcasts, online streaming, and alike technologies to positively shift into digital platforms (Lichterman, 2015). Meaning to say, radio is not vanishing via digital technologies however is transfiguring because of them (Sherwood, 2015). It has become a requirement for radio stations to develop technologically so to remain a vital fount of information and engagement with local community (Atkin & McCardle, 2015). By far, living in the digital age gave radio the struggle to keep up with the rapid advancements of technology. Radio is redefining itself by being on the internet and on the mobile phones. If used effectively, these digital platforms can flourish the structure of the radio towards a vibrant future. As radio transforms against the backdrop of digital technology, it comes into a new and improved version. On this research, campus radio’s existing digital presence is to be investigated. The unambiguous focus of this paper comprises the four campus radio stations from the four largest universities in the Philippines, with significance to online technologies in the contemporary campus radio culture. Perceived as a process, media convergence has said to have distorted the lines in between varying forms of media (Garrison & Dupagne, 2003). This process can be viewed in three ways: Technical Convergence, Regulatory Convergence, and Economic Convergence. These concepts are particularly guided by theory through the Four Laws of Media. The theory was introduced by Marshall McLuhan, along with his son Eric. They developed the theory in fulfillment of their pursuit for a framework that could be tested against any human or artifact (Federman, et.al, 2013). McLuhan and his son wanted to create attraction however in process, 72 Talast´asan: A Philippine Journal of Communication and Media Studies Volume 1, Number 1, June 2022 Fajardo, K.B.G. Campus Radio Version 2.0 still situates configuring innovative insight in configuring innovative milieus, despite continually restructuring old ones (Federman, et.al, 2013). Meanwhile, concepts also suggest that campus radio in the Philippines has converged with the internet through social media and mobile phones. Different aspects of media may converge as well resulting to industrial convergence, or the teaming-up of various campus radios with the internet and mobile phone corporations. Another is technological convergence, or the fusion of campus radio with the internet and mobile phone as a device and solutions convergence, which entails convergence of processes. Other types of convergence that may occur are economic and regulatory convergence, network convergence and corporate convergence. Convergence is situated within the Four Laws of the Media which stand for enhancement of the old medium, reversal of some of its characteristics, obsolescence of a number of its traits and retrieval of its forgotten aspects. To discuss, convergence may have (1) enhanced or improved aspects of campus radio in terms of management processes, advertising strategies, program content and creation as well as revenue and cost. (2) Eventual turnout of certain characteristics of digital campus radio when the said medium is pushed to its limits. (3) Obsolescence or the characteristics of campus radio that have been set aside by the convergence with the internet and new technology (4) revival of the old characteristics of campus radio by internet and new technology, was tackled also in terms of management processes, program content and creation, marketing and programming strategies. 2 Related Studies Campus radio is significant for individuals especially undergraduate and graduate studies because it is a free design so they can communicate pretty well and it well serve as the training ground of understudies with genuine experience since larger part of radio projects include news appears, sports projects, and open issues communicates, getting ready understudies for professions in news coverage, TV, and the sky is the limit from there. Without a doubt, this empower understudies to get significant media experience they will most likely be unable to discover anyplace else nearby. Regardless of whether it is through research, working with others, or setting up their own material, there is transferable involvement with a lot of what a plate racer or journalist does at their school radio broadcast. There are a lot of reasons to consider having a campus radio in a university. This can be a source of information for the students and the local community. Since the target audience is very specific, it is very easy to determine what program should be aired by the campus radio. These programs should help with the local communities and those that will help the students in their academics needs and will introduce them to the culture of the university. By having a campus radio too, local communities will be given a chance to voice out their opinion about certain issues that are affecting them. Campus radio can also mediate between the local community and to people initiating the community’s development. There are number of ways on how the campus radio will help the community in their development. Also, this will help in disseminating information on updates about projects by local government and NGO’s working on the local community. Aside from being mediator, campus radio can also help in promoting livelihood of the local community. They can feature some local business and their area to help them with their exposure to the public. This way, they can contribute with the local economy by influencing the people to buy their local products. In terms of academic purpose, students have a lot of benefits from the campus radio. This will aid as their training ground, especially for communication students on how the actual radio booth works. They will be exposed with radio equipment and how to use it as well as the function 73 Talast´asan: A Philippine Journal of Communication and Media Studies Volume 1, Number 1, June 2022 Fajardo, K.B.G. Campus Radio Version 2.0 of each machine. Student can also rely with campus radio with the public service announcement that is school related. Students can also participate with the discussion about pressing issues that are affecting them as a student and as part of the local community. Finally, students who are involved in extra-curricular activities like participating in campus radio have a higher development in every aspect of life. Students can make wiser decision since they are more active and more experience, they can also plan better for their future and are academically active. The radio was invented because its primary role in society was to contact vessels especially when there is a serious and unexpected situation when they were out sailing at sea. But because the radio technology only started; the communication is not that clear and the people that were using the machine depended on Morse code messages. At the present time, radio became much essential among Filipinos as it reaches 90% of the population and it was known as the most effective, efficient and most credible source of information. As the time goes by, different campuses and universities in the Philippines have established their own radio station that helps their community in providing news and public service. Moreover, campus radio in the Philippines had gone through different challenges and development for the benefit of the general public. However, advancement of technology made social media the most influential medium of communication as its surpassed print medias as a source of news information. It is evident that social media became the most powerful among any other communication medium. In that case, ”Advance technology” and ”stronger campus radio” lies ahead of campus radio in the Philippines. Target audience would prefer checking news updates through social media rather than traditional medium such as newspapers and radios. However, social media could hardly affect and mislead the students’ learning process if they lack enough knowledge in terms of checking credible resources and be exposed to fakes news online. On the other hand, having different campus radio among universities in the Philippines can broaden public service that would result to a wider target audience. In that case, people would be much aware and knowledgeable in terms of public events. Furthermore, campus radio could surpass the advancement of technology through the rising number of airing campus radio in the Philippines. It is indeed that campus radio would continue to grow with the help of different universities and media practitioners in order to produce more passionate and creative students that would serve not just in their organization but also to their community. Additionally, having campus radio in an organization could help the students to be updated and much informed. It can also inspire the youth to be a media practitioner in the future. As long as there is an aspiring journalist or media practitioner, campus radio would strongly continue functioning and there is always been a young journalist that would fight for its existence and continue helping and serving other people. The following are the educational functions of radio: (1) Qualitative improvement and quantitative expansion of education, (2) Fostering the Sense of National Integration and International Understanding, (3) Entertainment, and (4) Vocational Education . To integrate radio in a society means significantly not only on academic purposes but also on everyday lives of people. Campus radio is both a strategically and pedagogically used to the advantage by the school administration. It offers advantages appealing to foreign and exchange students, serve as medium between university campus and its community. It hones students into practicing their skills by joining in multimedia projects. Lastly, it serves as a campus identity. 74 Talast´asan: A Philippine Journal of Communication and Media Studies Volume 1, Number 1, June 2022 Fajardo, K.B.G. Campus Radio Version 2.0 3 Methodology In order to have a better understanding of any campus radio, it is important to perceive it as an organizational structure beforehand. An organizational structure is nothing easy to study if not of a research type that best suits it, for an instance, a qualitative research. It goes the same way with a study on campus radio stations. Methods on qualitative research ought to investigate a problem and answer a query according particularly to distinctive conditions intended to understand lived and personal experiences or phenomena. Relative to studying humanistic elements, personal or lived experience analysis is by far significant (Mack et al., 2005). 3.1 Research Instrument To facilitate the data gathering through an in-depth interview the researcher was able to formulate the interview guide to address the main objectives of this study. Interview questions are formulated to discuss Media Convergence. Specifically evaluating the communication between member-administration regarding: (1) urgency of digital advancements, (2) formation of collective alliances concerning organizational shifts, (3) communication on shifts including vision and mission, (4) staff participation and comfortability towards such shifts, and (5) constant shifts on objectives sidelong transformations on organizational cultures among campus radios. 3.2 Participants The informants of this research will be from the four largest universities in the Philippines and members of College Radio Network – Ateneo de Manila University’s Radyo Katipunan, Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas’ Tiger Radio, University of the Philippines’ DZUP and Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ DZMC. Aside from this, the researcher also gathered two key informants from the DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 of ABS-CBN Corporation to validate the research instrument and to give their valuable insights on the digital shift of radio stations. For the fulfilment of the research, primary data was used. The data were collated firsthand from a source and are particular to a study. The researcher scheduled a personal interview with the informants. The data collected from the informants through an in-depth interview was able to cover the paper’s primary goal. The data gathering conducted through an interview was successful. 3.3 Data Gathering Procedures To study individual perceptions toward digital transformation of the campus radio, qualitative methods were integrated in the study. Extensive investigation about how organizational structure on campus radios transforms through time, through the aid of technological advancements, requires qualitative measures. Understanding these phenomena in such a manner that concerns the structural aspect of an organization gives awareness necessary to determine specific attitudes and actions guided by technological advancements and procedures and how they correlate to organizational production and regulation. A methodology employed in the paper included interviews that are extensive in nature. Lived experiences will therefore be reflected upon interviews anchored on the perspectives of the informants. On garnering detailed and useful statements about the case study, the researcher knows the importance of pitching an interview. 75 Talast´asan: A Philippine Journal of Communication and Media Studies Volume 1, Number 1, June 2022 Fajardo, K.B.G. Campus Radio Version 2.0 4 Results and Discussion Beginning with the profile of both informants and key informants, the study analyzed the use of digital technologies in four (4) campus radio station case studies through social media, in-depth interviews, and in-person observations. Generated outcomes aided in shaping the analysis of technological transformations among university radios. Furthermore, the paper discussed the cultural, academic, and technological nature of an academic institution with respect to such transformations. Personal narratives draw an understanding on the organizational culture to which they exist. Overall, the paper ought to contribute on potential institutional development. 4.1 Background and Establishment of Radio Stations The success of any organizations takes back from where it begins. Like any structure, campus radio stations started from being a simple laboratory to a full-blown station with state-of-the-art equipment and highly skilled broadcast professionals. Campus radio is maintained exclusively by the students that are involved in the radio group of a college or university. With this, an opportunity is provided to the students to enhance their talents on different areas of the field. Campus radio is mainly aimed to make use of radio, specifically FM and in a more realistic and meaningful way to be able to broadcast important college announcements. This new aspect of using radio for college audience as well as allows the students to show off their skills (Gumaste, 2013). Given how such long history of transforming university media became crucial to radio industry’s health, professional media platforms have gained the chance to amplify talents potential to individuals and to uphold dialogues surrounding democracy (Merill, 2007). Aside from it, said media platform arouses the sense of ‘alternativeness’ so as to specify contributions entrenched on communal interest (Fauteux, 2015). 4.1.1 Mission-Vision-Goals-Objectives of Radio Stations Campus radio station’s establishment was basically to be the voice of their university. The Mission, Vision, Goals and Objectives of the Campus Radio Stations can be traced back to why their university is founded and how they can contribute to a larger purpose by means of propagating information drive through broadcast media. 4.1.2 Operational Structure of the Campus Radio Operational structures of Campus Radio Stations are being significantly influenced by administrative tensions between stations and their universities. Thus, it is very important to look deeper to the current operational structure of Campus Radio Station to understand how they are adapting to the digital landscape of today. Radio Katipunan is being regulated mainly by the Jesuits Communications. Meanwhile, UP’s DZUP organizational structure are formed by Department of Broadcast Communication’s faculty members. As the operation of Pontifical University of Santo Tomas’ Tiger Radio is under the Administration Office and it is managed and headed by the Assistant Director for Broadcast and Director in-charge of the operations together with an assistant faculty member. Lastly, PUP’s DZMC is being managed by Young Communicators’ Guild, a student organization in the College of Communication, headed by organization’s president and under the supervision of the organization’s adviser who is also the station manager. 76 Talast´asan: A Philippine Journal of Communication and Media Studies Volume 1, Number 1, June 2022 Fajardo, K.B.G. Campus Radio Version 2.0 Campus radio is both strategically and pedagogically used to the advantage of the school administration. It aids to becoming a necessary ground to practice the students’ skills by joining in multimedia projects. It is a reflection of the “campus identity” and an important source of cultural content. 4.1.3 Budgetary Outlay of Campus Radio The challenges in running a radio station are economic, content and technology factors. For a campus radio station to survive, it will need a financial money. Although the majority of these radios are non-commercial, efforts for managing operational system particularly regarding human resource such as recruitment, staff and student commitment, training and talent development is vital. Funding conflicts took place onset the beginning of campus radio. Presently, student government allocations and fees, apart from sponsorship, are accumulated for operational funding. 4.1.4 The Content and Programming of Campus Radio Radyo Katipunan has both kinds of programs, academic and entertainment. The nature of programming of DZUP is educational alternative community radio so all of the genres are categorized as academic but has the share of entertainment. The point of the program is to popularize the topics or subjects that are only talked about inside the classroom and extend it to the world through DZUP. On the other hand, UST Tiger Radio follows the Contemporary Hit Radio format (CHR). They usually do music programs, moreover they want to promote UST bands’ music and also partner independent bands from other universities. However, news programs are a challenge to them. Recently, DZMC rebranded and changed their programming which now includes news, commentaries, request shows featuring local artist mainly from PUP, music programs, radio magazine, talk shows, and radio drama. Primarily intended to “reflect the current climate on campus,” campus radio ventures on inimitable academic programming in encouragement of applied, efficient, and didactic involvement. While institutions acclimate, an institutional development may be brought about. Key developments embrace refurbishing of institution’s character. Viewed through the point of view of administrator, pronouncements, regulations, and constructs however evolving, contributes to organizational development. The ability to immediately adapt to changes is crucial to the success of an organization. Through online broadcasts, campus radio was able to progressively maximize its web presence. 4.1.5 Equipment, Facilities and Infrastructure of Campus Radio Instead of hiring many voice talents to do on-air task, Ateneo de Manila’s Radyo Katipunan, are simulcasting some programs from Veritas to their station. The National University’s DZUP, is having more hard times in procuring equipment for their radio station as it was only in 2010, that the UP System finally affirmed the inclusion of DZUP’s budget in the whole financial outlay of the University and government system hinders them in buying up-to-date equipment for the broadcast requirement of the station. Starting from almost nothing, UST’s Tiger Radio is proud that almost all equipment they need was already purchased by the University. Lastly, PUP’s DZMC is not an alien to financial constraints. The latest breakthrough in DZMC’s history was in 2014 when then Dean Edna Bernabe was able to capitalize into a brand-new radio and TV station equipment procured by the University. 77 Talast´asan: A Philippine Journal of Communication and Media Studies Volume 1, Number 1, June 2022 Fajardo, K.B.G. Campus Radio Version 2.0 4.2 Towards a Digital Platform for Campus Radio 4.2.1 Embracing Changes with the New Media It is vital for campus radio to further adapt on technological advancements in order to aid the students and stations of their academic and practical needs (Sauls, 2000). Meaning to say, facets such as vision, mission, regulations, and connection must be considered at hand. On the other hand, a modification with no freeform principles may be resulted from an accepting attitude of a campus radio. Anticipation towards university radio and its idiosyncratic or “freeform” values undeviatingly relays on queries that concern studies of digital utilization on campus radio. Management and intervention also directly affect such activities concerning technological transformation and cultures within organizations. It is also assumed how stations may arrive at each phase of the model differently and apiece. It depends on the construct the organization has, regulation, and particular integration of digital equipment. Human characteristics significant to acknowledge in understanding cultures and changes in an organization includes campus radio staffs’ and their behavior. 4.2.2 Digital Platforms Utilized by the Campus Radio As of this time Radyo Katipunan’s venture with digital platform use online radio software to bring their broadcast to the cyberspace and make the station more accessible for the students. These includes The Rocket Broadcaster — an online radio software that links a subscriber to its subscriptions, and 3 more online radio platforms, namely: Radionomy, Live Online Radio and Radio.org.ph. Unfortunately for DZUP, they cannot abandon the old school type of analog broadcasting especially their programming is based on the needs of the communities they are serving. But despite this tradition, DZUP are also investing to the digital and new media as they are the first campus radio in the Philippines that was able to establish their own website – the DZUP Online. The Facebook account of DZUP is also streaming some of their radio programs live via Facebook Live and updating their followers through their social media accounts like Twitter and Instagram. The Catholic University of the Philippines is the only pure-online based campus radio station in the Philippines. Ever since, no transmitter has been established for the use of campus radio inside UST, that is why, when the administration of UST decided to bring back their own community campus radio, the Communications Bureau decided to invest on a digital radio station rather than the traditional. After so many trials in different online radio software, Tiger Radio now fully operates through the Mixlr. Providing the link where the subscribers or listeners of Tiger Radio can tune in once the program started. But despite all of these advantages, loopholes and misused of the platform are reported. Ultimately, the only way that will keep the Polytechnic of the University of the Philippines Campus Radio is having an online streaming of their radio broadcast since their transmitter as of this time is not functioning and their NTC License to Operate is still pending because of their location. For now, every broadcast of the station has been automatically being streamed online through Facebook Live. DZMC is now discussing the possibilities of streaming the broadcast using the official website of the PUP. But for now, they are conducting studies that will make DZMC a university-wide organization. 4.2.3 Managing the Digital Platform of the Campus Radio The management of Digital Platform Operations of Radyo Katipunan is upon the responsibility of the whole team. University of the Philippines’ DZUP Digital Platform Team is headed by their Web Master, since the online platform is connected and simultaneously airing on their website. In UST’s Tiger Radio, only two people were assigned to handle the responsibility of their digital 78 Talast´asan: A Philippine Journal of Communication and Media Studies Volume 1, Number 1, June 2022 Fajardo, K.B.G. Campus Radio Version 2.0 platform. The Assistant Director for Broadcast and the in-house technician. Upon venturing to new ways of broadcasting, DZMC came out with a new department to be responsible with their technical concerns onair and online. This team of students are in-charge for checking the quality of sound and the quality of visual being aired simultaneously from the ground and to their Facebook account. 4.3 Social Media and the Campus Radio 4.3.1 Social Media Operations of Campus Radio Aside from having their own digital platform, most of the radio stations such as Radyo Katipunan, DZUP, and DZMC are maximizing the means of using social media, just as Tiger Radio, through which they could interact with the listeners. Letting all people in the community involved in every issue is also a significant contribution of campus radio to the community. As the technology progresses, so as the desire of all people to be heard and be the solution to a problem. Everyone can read news about issues and all of them wants to participate and be heard. Some uses social media to voice out their opinion and to disseminate information, people can assure that every information and opinion they are posting are coming from them firsthand, regardless if the information is accurate or not. Each of the campus radio stations knows how feedbacks offer more potential and development on interaction, information, and promotion of a radio station as it can be placed anywhere else in social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and the most prevalent Facebook (Savage & Spence, 2014). 4.3.2 Campus Radio Social Media Reach and Response For Radyo Katipunan, they believe that their social media viewership and listenership is higher compare to their traditional broadcast. The key goal of DZUP’s social media engagement is to penetrate the on-the-go students and community members of UP. That is why as of this time, the only way they are evaluating their social media accounts is through the number of engagements, viewers of their live Facebook broadcast, followers and engagement on Twitters as well as the number of reactions and followers on Instagram. The management of Tiger Radio on the hand, is very happy on the performance of their social media accounts. After a long hiatus, Tiger Radio was able to resurrect their subscribers and were able to gather at least 8,000 organic subscribers of Tiger Radio online. While despite of having a long period of being off-air, DZMC were able to capture once more the hearts of the Iskolar ng Bayan by providing them programs that will reflect the culture of PUP in the medium that every PUPians may follow through their mobile phones and in-demand service. 4.4 Social Media and the Campus Radio 4.4.1 Lack of Funding Ateneo de Manila University is among the country’s list of universities of highest education cost; however, campus radio station is not the priority of the University. DZUP’s financial outlay is also being challenged since they belong to whole Bureaucratic processes in the country. Though the station is being maintained and operated by the University officials, the budgetary allotment for new media efforts of UST is still dependent on the number of enrollees for the school year. So, it means, that the higher enrollment rates the more budget will they get, and lower enrollment rate means budget cut for the operations of Tiger Radio. Lastly, DZMC of PUP is self-sustaining. As a student organization, they have to find ways in order to sustain the operations of their station. 79 Talast´asan: A Philippine Journal of Communication and Media Studies Volume 1, Number 1, June 2022