Sahan Jayawardena
Audio Response
I have
never listened to an audio program before, so this was quite an experience. I
mean, I have listened to NPR on occasion, but never for a full hour and never
without being in a car. Nowadays my generation doesn’t have time to sit down
and listen to an audio program. I would never give it my full attention, mostly
because my generation was never brought up with radio. My earliest childhood
memories involved a television set. My idea of engagement is with both an audio
and visual component. By taking away the visual aspect of an hour-long program,
it creates a struggle to continually listen. My mind almost needs a visual
component, which should be my imagination, but since I’ve been brought up with
watching programs that have such a tight integration between their audio and
visual components, I doubted that I would be able to sit through an entire
program and be entirely involved in the process.
However,
audio programs seem to be way ahead of me. Because the programs rely solely on
the audio, the programs are very complex in terms of their setup. Regular NPR
broadcasts are very monotonous and basic, with one or two voices that run the
broadcast throughout the hour. During RadioLab’s program, the audio was
different and engaging. If I closed my eyes, I would think I was watching a documentary
about the mind and its memory. The audio is so complex that it feels like it
has been directly taken from a documentary. My mind automatically fills in the
visual gaps that I believe should be there. There is never a moment long enough
where the audio stays the same; instead the program continually changes in
order to keep the listener active, whether that is by adding in a new voice,
adding in an effect or even complete silence. The effects in the audio programs
help stimulate the mind to go along with the audio program, which is actually in
some aspects more appealing than watching a set visual component. The different
voices help add a new sort of depth to the program, helping move the narrative
structure along without boring the listener.
Overall
this experience was very exciting. Audio programs like these are very cool to
listen to because they are so complex but yet so simple. My mind is able to get
lost in the program and relax without having to rely on a visual component,
which is nice for a change. The different voices and audio effects help move
the program along and keep the listener like myself very engaged throughout the
entire hour.
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