Since the rise of television, much radio consists of 'capsule' news and
music formats which are heard as background to other activities. However
the medium offers a great deal more. This collection of essays shows how
in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and the South
Pacific, radio continues to provide distinctive forms of content for the
individual listener, yet also enables ethnic and cultural groups to
maintain their sense of identity. Ranging from radio among the
primordial communities to digital broadcasting and the internet, these
essays suggest that the benefits and gratifications which radio confers
remain unique and irreplaceable in this multi-media age.