Rhythms of Silence: Digital audio analysis of Swedish Radio Broadcasting, 1980-1989

Abstract

How can silence be studied, and what can we learn from it? This article explores the so-called ‘modernization’ of Swedish Public Service radio by pertaining to pauses, halts and the absence of content. By applying computational analysis to the broadcasting archive, radio can be explored on a larger scale than previously affordable. The article argues that it is possible to understand the rhythm between more and less dense content by studying the distribution of silence in time. The analysis focuses on how varying degrees of silence are distributed throughout the day in broadcasting by the Public Service Program 1 (P1). Sweden was one of the last western, democratic countries to undergo broadcasting de-monopolization. However, in order to stimulate a modernization process, competition was introduced within the state monopoly before the proper commercialization of radio in 1993. Though the actual effect of this process remains disputed, the last decade of the Swedish radio monopoly is considered a significant media historical period of transition. Whilst the organizational structure endured, public discourse witnessed a clash between new and old ideas concerning the very essence of radio. The period thus enables the study of radio in transition. To grasp the potential effects of these debates and organizational changes on the very content of radio, this study takes its cue from the overlooked but essential matter of silence in the radio medium. Tracing the changes and trends in a set of sample weeks from 1980 to 1989, the results indicate both how the amount of silence diminished and its rhythm became more uniform. Whilst providing insights into the style of Swedish public service radio, the work is also intended to inspire new, creative ways of researching sound media.