Great changes have taken place in the concept of radio music programs. Fist, these changes were caused by music itself, and intensified by the development of broadcasting means and technology. It has always been difficult to define "radio music". All types of music seem easily to fall into this catalogue once after that they are edited, processed, and finally broadcasted. A definite concept is the prerequisite to a discussion. Therefore, we need to clarify what "radio music" really is before proceeding to the topic for today. Otherwise our discussion would be handicapped.
Music program has long been playing an important role ever since broadcasting station came on the Chinese scene. In 1922, Osborne, an American reporter, set up the first broadcasting station in China. "At the beginning, most of Carol's programs made a show of western music and records. Later they gave more chances to Chinese records to gain a bigger share of audience."(*1) Anyway, it's not at all surprising that western music programs were in the majority since Osborne. In 1926, Liu Han, a radio expert of the earlier generation, set up the first Chinese radio station in Ha'erbin. It clearly stated in the specification of its broadcasting service. There are news report, business details, music, songs and speeches were to be broadcasted to the public each day within the fixed time.(*2) This shows that music remained after news report the most indispensable part of radio programs.
In 1940, the Xinhua Radio Station in Yan'an began service. "Its music program included men's solo, women's solo, men and women's chorus, harmonica solo and duet, etc."(*3) From 1941, Beijing opera, Yangko opera, instrumental and orchestral ensembles were introduced in succession. The gradual enrichment and diversity of music programs provided plentiful sources for the programming of the early radio stations. These radio later also included in their broadcasting schedule some revolutionary works of music from abroad. Among them there were Songs from the USSR, Korean Music.
In china, most radio music programs at the early stage were presented by playing ready-made records and broadcasted live in the studio. Records with various themes and of different styles were chosen and then edited. Additionally, a piece of theme music for a particular program was either one original on a record or one copied onto a new record. According to the recent standard, there is little doubt that the skill in producing music programs at that time was technically primitive. The final product was poor in quality. But under the trying circumstances of their age, their efforts in editing, programing, and screening source materials were commendable.
Following the tradition of the earlier practices, Chinese radio stations differ considerably from some technically advanced countries in producing music programs. The standard of skill in producing music programs is interwoven with the development of recording technology. The invention of magnetic recording in the 1940s opened up broad prospects for music programs. The audio frequency for the optical sound unit was limited between 100 to 700 Hz. That was far less than the frequency range of the human ears.
Whereas the audio frequency for the magnetic recording system exceeded that range, which formed a concrete basis for high fidelity recording, a technology far more advanced than that in the 1920s. At that moment, records were made by the diaphragm moving the needle on the disc. But such kind of recording skill was crude and the records came out with noisy sound. The magnetic recording technology took a great leap forward in the 1960s with the coming of the stereophonic sound. It is a recording transmission system employing multi microphones and multi loudspeakers. The wide spread application of magnetic recording after world war II gave enormous impetus to the promotion of the stereophonic recording. The first product was witnessed by the record industry in 1954. The recording was made on a 1/4-inch tape with two track in 7.8 inch per second. From then on stereophonic sound got in the good graces of the public as a new technology.
In the 1970s some western countries succeeded in developing a multiple form acoustic channel system capable of diminishing noise and securing strong signals, such as the Dolby DBX and Burwen. This system finally solved the noise problem in records and also extended the range of sound that could possibly be reproduced. The gradual perfection in stereophonic sound recording caused an unprecedented enhancement in the quality of music programs produced by radio stations. It sequentially boosts the number of audience.
Still it deserves ready attention that a wide variation has been shown both in the preferences of the music program audience and in the content of the program itself. With respect to audience tastes, classical and national music received the highest audience rate before the 60s.
In the 70s, the people were under the influence of some trend of thought, the scope of music programs in China underwent profound changes. With respect to the broadcasting system, Frequency Modulation stereophonic radio programs were put into generous use, and the scope of music programs was increasingly extended. In the 80s and 90s, popular music formed a larger part of music programs. Today it has claimed the top market share in the audio and video industry. And pop music show now preserves a substantial proportion in the daily radio programs. This alteration came much later than that in the West. In the mid 1960s, a drastic change struck the records market in the western countries. In the United States, the sales volume of classical music records dropped to 5% of the total sales of records, while rock'n'roll records had the best market sales. Unlike the others, popular music records and tapes are elaborately made in the recording room. As the abundant source for music programs, they were given much credit for the great improvement in the quality of these programs.
In the 80s and 90s, there was a day by day technical perfection in making Compact Disc and Digital recordings, which provide radio audience a perfected fidelity. The Hi-Fi Surround Stereophonic System ushered music programs into a golden age of technical boom.
Although highly developed technology in producing music programs is a major advantage for program producers, it does not necessarily lead to a sure guarantee of high quality. Due to a large purchase of recorded music programs from video shops, there is a sharp decrease in the number of programs produced by the radio stations. Music editors rarely participate in making programs, and they have poor or even no technical knowledge at all. This results in editor's inadequate quality control on the music programs. As a consequence, some music programs of low quality find their way to the public via broadcasting.
Music programs should meet two basic requirements to be of high quality. First, program producers should have good knowledge about the types and themes of the music works and make a good arrangement for their selections. They should be original in ideas and creative in work. They should see to it that the programs are varied in forms with an ingenious combination and a coherent continuation. Secondly, producers need to be able to evaluate the quality of the recorded programs and to tell the good ones from the poor ones. Besides, they should know well about the equipment operation of the spectrum system to transmit the music program without spoiling its original gracefulness. These demand expertise of the program producers.
In the 20th century, scientific technology is progressing by leaps and bounds with each passing day. Broadcasting is more closely related to and more strongly influenced by science and technology than any other departments of social services. Each scientific innovation spells utter changes in the entire schedule for the broadcasting system and every piece of new technical information sends a real challenge to the broadcasting personnel. Broadcasting is a section of mass media, and music program probably is, and will always be, after news report, the most important component of radio programs. Therefore, it's necessary and practically significant to have a deliberation upon producing and popularizing radio music programs.
References:
(*1) Collected Works on the History of Radio and Television in
China by Zhao Yuning
(*2) see above
(*3) Battle front of Radio and Television (Volume 5, 1985)
Programs of Entertainment with the XinHua Radio Station in
Yan'an by Zhao yuning