Structural Changes in Radio and Impacts on Music Listeners

Abstract

The current study explores structural changes in radio and assesses their impact on music listeners in Pakistan utilizing the theoretical underpinnings of the political economy of communication. A mixed-method approach was used to answer research questions and evaluate hypotheses. A contextual analysis was utilized to evaluate the qualitative analysis after the interviews with 14 experts in the Pakistani radio industry were transcribed. Cross-tabulation with chi-square test, Independent Sample T-test, and AVOVA with Tukey tests were used to analyze survey responses from 200 respondents in order to determine the correlations between variables. The findings show that structural trends in the radio industry's deregulation and commercialization have curtailed access to a varied range of listeners in Pakistan. According to the research, deregulation, licensing fees, new license fees, and the restriction of Indian music, revenue generation, and licensing to nonprofit FM radio have all limited access to a diverse spectrum of radio music listeners in Pakistan. This trend also leads broadcast media in Pakistan to produce and disseminate more entertainment programming rather than information and education programs.