1
A leading Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governorship Aspirant in Oyo State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has described Radio as one of the most powerful media that helps humanity to celebrate diversity, saying it offers an ideal platform for democratic discourse.
Ajadi made this known in Ibadan on Friday while delivering his speech as the Chairman of this year’s World Radio Day, organised by the Oyo State Council of the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU).
Ajadi said the theme of this year’s edition of World Radio Day, “Radio and Artificial intelligence” is also appropriate and timely, as according to him, Artificial Intelligence is the latest technology being imbibed in the World, saying Nigeria cannot be an exception.
Speaking on AI as a new technology, Ajadi said everyone is trying to adopt its use in various sectors of society.
He said Radio is considered as one of the most widely consumed media globally, according to UNESCO.
Most acceptable statistics on radio reveal that radio accounts for 86 per cent of the total time adults aged 25-54 spend listening to. It is a fact that the radio targets not only people living in metropolitan areas but also in remote areas because its language is understood by both literates and illiterates.
“It is in this regard that the practitioners should offer a kind of content that gives representation to those in the urban areas as well as those in isolated communities as well”, Ajadi said.
He said the advantage of radio as a means of communication cannot be overemphasised, but said the most important is its portability and cheapness. “It is everywhere, even on our telephones”, Ajadi said.
“Today, we are celebrating radio as a way of educating people, providing information, and promoting freedom of expression across cultures.
“Despite being over 100 years old, radio is one of the most popular ways to exchange information, provide social interchange, and educate people all over the world. It has been used to help people, including youth, to engage in discussions on topics that affect them. It can save lives during natural or human-made disasters, and it gives journalists a platform to report facts and tell their stories. As you know, the first World Radio Day was officially celebrated in 2012.
“To some people, AI in radio spells an inevitable loss of human connection and signals the death of human creativity. But I disagree, I think broadcasting practitioners should use AI to enhance their creativity rather than surrender to it totally.
“I will rather advise that we should take a more positive outlook, regarding it as a way to unlock creativity and lower barriers to entry. AI can aid radio production while pushing forward content quality. It is best deployed in radio with care. The emphasis of today, is the importance of a thoughtful approach to AI with clearly defined strategies for its use.
“When used right, AI tools have the potential to: cut routine tasks and admin by letting radio teams focus on creating content that matters to them; create meaningful growth by providing valuable insight into your audience, better tailor ads for listeners and improve revenue to help sustainability; empower both listeners and broadcasters by offering personalised experiences and create space for under-represented voices to be heard; ensure content quality by accelerating the research and fact-checking capabilities of radio teams, allowing them to scale up production without sacrificing quality,” Ajadi further said.
Ajadi, however, urge media practitioners to learn and have deep knowledge of AI. saying It is when one knows the nitty gritty of AI as a technology that one can adapt it to Radio production.
“AI should not stop your creativity; it should enhance it,” Ajadi counsels Radio Broadcasters.
