This document discusses the history and uses of radio as a medium for science communication. It explores how radio has been used since the early 20th century for disseminating scientific ideas and engaging the public with science. The summary highlights that radio allows for intimate and cognitive experiences through storytelling and conversation. It also notes that radio programming can include news, documentaries, debates, interviews and more. The document advocates that radio is a good way to have reflective discussions about science and create mental images without visuals potentially getting in the way.

1. science on air
Elisabetta Tola
formicablu, Bologna, Italy
SCIRAB, Science in radio broadcasting
www.formicablu.it

4. radio as a civil tool…
Jean Dominique,
Radio Haiti Inter, 2000
Peppino Impastato,
Radio Aut, 1978

5. los primeros años

6. Una teoria de la radio
Bertolt Brecht, 1927-32

7. Der Lindberghflug
(Il volo di Lindbergh, 1929)

8. You little box, held to me escaping
So that your valves should not break
Carried from house to house to ship from sail to train,
So that my enemies might go on talking to me,
Near my bed, to my pain
The last thing at night, the first thing in the morning,
Of their victories and of my cares,
Promise me not to go silent all of a sudden.,
Svendborg poems (1934)

9. Hormödelle
E
Aufklarüng fur Kinder
(Walter Benjamin, 1925-32)

10. Before the radio was invented, we barely
knew any media that could be used for
eminently popular dissemination
purposes (...)
Dissemination was based on an
established and experienced scientific
heritage directly developed by science
although leaving out the most difficult
arguments. The essential trait of this
type of outreach was the omission (...)

11. (Radio) lets the listeners know that their
personal interest has a substantial value for
the matter under investigation, and that their
questions, even if not expressed aloud at the
microphone, require new scientific findings.
(...)
The dissemination is not only aimed at
mobilizing science towards the public, but at
the same time, the public towards science (...)
transforming the issues under investigation
and acting on the science itself.
1932

12. Radio does not lack anything: its essence is related to
the use of listening to get a full representation.
Rudolf Arnheim

13. Radio.
The art of sound.
1936

14. War of the worlds, 1938

15. Characteristics and traits

16. intimacy

17. Allen Funt, 1947

19. “It is easy to make pictures present
dramatic and striking images - but
images whose major impact is on the
emotions.
I have, for instance, often asked
television colleagues to show me a
picture of a moral dilemma. I am still
waiting for one.”
(Geoff Deehan, BBC)

20. a cognitive
experience

21. Chiamate Roma 3131, 1969
Paolo Cavallina y Luca Liguori a social
experience

23. creating images in your mind
• reflection and thought: radio has a pace
and creates a mental space
• reflection and thought: two fondamental
aspects of science communication
• “Pictures can get in the way in the
explanation of scientific ideas” (D. Cohen,
BBC)

24. intimacy and linearity
• flexible and able to enter hidden places:
listens without being seen nor heard
(candid microphone, 1947)
• fragmentary and narrative: it has a
rhythm and deals by and large with
anecdote and episodes
• chance to share cultural excitement
provided by scientific discovery
• good at communicating emotion and mood

25. a cognitive experience
• “(…) radio is an extension of our nervous
central system closer only to human
discourse” (M. Mc Luhan)
• whoever is speaking is speaking for you
• a conversation with a scientist
• phone ins: a strong interactive
experience (M. Merzagora and S.
Coyaud)

26. el lenguaje radiofonico

28. a unique
soundscape

31. la ciencia es una conversacion con la natura
J. Wagensberg

32. what type of radio?

33. science radio programmes
• news story: science as politics or as light
hearted final news (typically 3-5 minutes)
• documentaries: science in a more explanatory
and narrative way (typ. 10-30 min.)
• debates: pro and cons in controversial issues
(typ. 20-60 min.)
formicablu srl

34. science radio programmes
• phone ins: the listeners’ voices (typ. 20-60
min)
• feature stories: magazines, discussions,
debates, put findings in context and with
comment
• radio drama: from “War of the worlds” on...
• podcast: recorded feature or talk,
downloadable in mp3
formicablu srl

35. Educational radio?

38. preparing your programme
• choose the format
• choose the topic
• choose the expert
• work with the expert:
– you need to know a lot about the subject
– you need to get the right information and the right story
and metaphors from him/her
– you need to know how he/she speaks
– you need to test if you can joke, talk about politics, if
he/she is didactical, enthusiastic, serious, boring, an
intellectual, a technician, ...
TALK WITH THE EXPERT!

39. Science or devil’s advocate?

40. Styles
• live/recorded
• as it is/edited
• dirty/clean
• speak as you eat/speak as you should
• excite/relax

41. interviews
• Informative
• Interpretive
• Emotional
• Oral history

42. formicablu srl

43. verba manent

44. l’onda entra in rete,
la rete va in onda
streaming
archive
podcasting

45. streaming
archive

46. The Podfather
2004
Adam Curry

47. RSS
+
mp3

49. iTunes

51. formicablu srl

52. science on air
Elisabetta Tola
formicablu, Bologna, Italy
SCIRAB, Science in radio broadcasting
www.formicablu.it
1

53. 2

54. 3

55. 13/08/12
radio as a civil tool…
Jean Dominique,
Radio Haiti Inter, 2000
Peppino Impastato,
Radio Aut, 1978

56. 13/08/12
los primeros años

57. Una teoria de la radio
Bertolt Brecht, 1927-32
6

58. 13/08/12
Der Lindberghflug
(Il volo di Lindbergh, 1929)

59. 13/08/12
You little box, held to me escaping
So that your valves should not break
Carried from house to house to ship from sail to train,
So that my enemies might go on talking to me,
Near my bed, to my pain
The last thing at night, the first thing in the morning,
Of their victories and of my cares,
Promise me not to go silent all of a sudden.,
Svendborg poems (1934)

60. 13/08/12
Hormödelle
E
Aufklarüng fur Kinder
(Walter Benjamin, 1925-32)

61. 13/08/12
Before the radio was invented, we barely
knew any media that could be used for
eminently popular dissemination
purposes (...)
Dissemination was based on an
established and experienced scientific
heritage directly developed by science
although leaving out the most difficult
arguments. The essential trait of this
type of outreach was the omission (...)

62. 13/08/12
(Radio) lets the listeners know that their
personal interest has a substantial value for
the matter under investigation, and that their
questions, even if not expressed aloud at the
microphone, require new scientific findings.
(...)
The dissemination is not only aimed at
mobilizing science towards the public, but at
the same time, the public towards science (...)
transforming the issues under investigation
and acting on the science itself.
1932

63. 13/08/12
Radio does not lack anything: its essence is related to
the use of listening to get a full representation.
Rudolf Arnheim

64. 13/08/12
Radio.
The art of sound.
1936

65. 13/08/12
War of the worlds, 1938

66. 13/08/12
Characteristics and traits

67. 13/08/12
intimacy

68. 13/08/12
Allen Funt, 1947

69. 18

70. 13/08/12
“It is easy to make pictures present
dramatic and striking images - but
images whose major impact is on the
emotions.
I have, for instance, often asked
television colleagues to show me a
picture of a moral dilemma. I am still
waiting for one.”
(Geoff Deehan, BBC)

71. a cognitive
experience
Ascolto lineare+ no alfabetizzazione
20

72. 13/08/12
Chiamate Roma 3131, 1969
Paolo Cavallina y Luca Liguori a social
experience

73. 13/08/12

74. creating images in your mind
• reflection and thought: radio has a pace
and creates a mental space
• reflection and thought: two fondamental
aspects of science communication
• “Pictures can get in the way in the
explanation of scientific ideas” (D. Cohen,
BBC)
23

75. intimacy and linearity
• flexible and able to enter hidden places:
listens without being seen nor heard
(candid microphone, 1947)
• fragmentary and narrative: it has a
rhythm and deals by and large with
anecdote and episodes
• chance to share cultural excitement
provided by scientific discovery
• good at communicating emotion and mood
24

76. a cognitive experience
• “(…) radio is an extension of our nervous
central system closer only to human
discourse” (M. Mc Luhan)
• whoever is speaking is speaking for you
• a conversation with a scientist
• phone ins: a strong interactive
experience (M. Merzagora and S.
Coyaud)
25

77. 13/08/12
el lenguaje radiofonico

78. 27

79. 13/08/12
a unique
soundscape

80. 29

81. 30

82. 13/08/12
la ciencia es una conversacion con la natura
J. Wagensberg

83. what type of radio?
32

84. science radio programmes
• news story: science as politics or as light
hearted final news (typically 3-5 minutes)
• documentaries: science in a more explanatory
and narrative way (typ. 10-30 min.)
• debates: pro and cons in controversial issues
(typ. 20-60 min.)
formicablu srl
33

85. science radio programmes
• phone ins: the listeners’ voices (typ. 20-60
min)
• feature stories: magazines, discussions,
debates, put findings in context and with
comment
• radio drama: from “War of the worlds” on...
• podcast: recorded feature or talk,
downloadable in mp3
formicablu srl
34

86. 13/08/12
Educational radio?

87. 13/08/12

88. 13/08/12

89. preparing your programme
• choose the format
• choose the topic
• choose the expert
• work with the expert:
– you need to know a lot about the subject
– you need to get the right information and the right story
and metaphors from him/her
– you need to know how he/she speaks
– you need to test if you can joke, talk about politics, if
he/she is didactical, enthusiastic, serious, boring, an
intellectual, a technician, ...
TALK WITH THE EXPERT!
38

90. 13/08/12
Science or devil’s advocate?

91. Styles
• live/recorded
• as it is/edited
• dirty/clean
• speak as you eat/speak as you should
• excite/relax
40

92. 13/08/12
interviews
• Informative
• Interpretive
• Emotional
• Oral history

93. 13/08/12
formicablu srl

94. verba manent
43

95. l’onda entra in rete,
la rete va in onda
streaming
archive
podcasting
44

96. 13/08/12
streaming
archive

97. 13/08/12
The Podfather
2004
Adam Curry

98. 13/08/12
RSS
+
mp3

99. 13/08/12

100. 13/08/12
iTunes

101. 13/08/12

102. formicablu srl
51