Les bifurcations de l’interactivité radiophonique A parting of the ways of radio interactivity

1. Les bifurcations de l’interactivité radiophoniqueA parting of the ways of radio interactivity Blandine SchmidtMICA (Médiation, Information, Communication), Bordeaux, France

2. Introduction • Radio is the traditional media which invites the most its public to participate in the creation of the content on air • To gain interactivity, exchange has to be maintained by two characters giving active and mutual participation • There are many tools of interactivity which induce various uses and kinds of intervention

3. Introduction • Main question: Regarding the mix between development of new technologies on the radio web sites and more traditional media forms, what are the current and future evolutions in the radio interactive relationship?

4. Introduction • Field study: • Radio analysed: RMC-Info (private French radio station) • Broadcast analysed : “Lahaie, l’amour et vous” • Data collected during : • A training course in radio offices • A participative observation on radio chat room

5. Introduction I – The historical duality in radio interactive relationship II - The appropriation of the Web by traditional radio stations in France. The case of RMC-Info chat room III – The current evolutions in radio interactive relationship

6. The historical duality in radio interactive relationship • 2 types of interactive relationship: • the direct interactive relation • the indirect interactive relation

7. The historical duality in radio interactive relationship • In the direct interactive relation: • Listeners talk on air themselves • Expression more or less autonomous and independent • Presence of a contract of communication

8. The historical duality in radio interactive relationship • In the indirect interactive relation: • Listeners do not talk on air themselves • The radio presenter quotes listeners on air • It is the oldest way of communication between a radio station and its public

9. The historical duality in radio interactive relationship • Today, letters have been replaced by: • Messages on broadcast answering machine • Messages on radio switchboard • SMS managed by a specific platform • E-mails directly sent to the presenter • Comments left on the radio web site • Chat room managed by a moderator

10. The appropriation of the Web by traditional radio stations in France • Democratization of Internet in French homes • In 1999, less than 10% of households had an Internet access • In 2007, they were 48,5%

11. The appropriation of the Web by traditional radio stations in France • Numerous of functionalities coming to complete or even to support programmes: • Podcast, archives access, presenters’ blogs, etc. • Specific platforms in order to interact with the media but also with the other Internet users • E-mails, comments, chat room, etc.

12. RMC-Info: a highly interactive radio • Origin name : Radio Monte Carlo • Ancient private radio station broadcasting from a neighbouring country • New name since 2001 : RMC-Info • On air, “News and talk” concept imported from the American radios

13. RMC-Info: a radio highly interactive • More than 100 persons talk daily on air • At the 10th place of national radios in terms of audience • Since 2001 : RMC-Info goes up in the ratings

14. The broadcast “Lahaie, l’amour et vous” • This programme was born in 2001 • Broadcast from 2 pm till 4 pm each day of the week • Dialogue topics with listeners : love, intimacy, sexuality

15. RMC-Info chat room“Talk with the live broadcast” • Temporality particularity: • Regime of immediacy in the exchanges • Conversations are not archived • The platform is managed by a moderator • He leads the debate (more or less interventionist) in the chat room • He speaks on air to relay listeners’ messages

16. RMC-Info chat room“Talk with the live broadcast” • The chat room is open for everybody • On-line registration is necessary

17. RMC-Info chat room“Talk with the live broadcast”

18. The public dialogue

19. The private dialogue

20. The evolutions in the radio interactive relationship • Nowadays, the interactive relationship is not only on air • Two different levels in the traditional communication device

21. “Champ radiophonique” Live broadcast Radio web site “Hors-champ radiophonique” “Sur-champ radiophonique” RMC-Info chat room Talk with the live broadcast Dialogue with the community members on the public platform Dialogue with one community member on the private platform Messages between two persons Messages between one person and the moderator Messages for everybody Messages for one person Messages for the moderator Bridge towards on air(quotation) Bridge towards on air(live) Bridge towards other platforms on the web(MSN, Facebook, etc.)

22. Bibliography • DELEU Christophe, Les anonymes de la radio, Paris, De bœck, 2006 • DELEUZE Gilles, L’image-mouvement, Minuit, 1983 • HUTH Arno, La radiodiffusion, puissance mondiale, Paris, Gallimard, 2ème édition, 1937 • MORILLAS Laura, Radio : Les auditeurs en représentation, Paris, Le bord de l’eau – INA, 2009 • POLOMÉ Pierre, Les médias sur Internet, Toulouse, Milan, 2009 • SCHMIDT Blandine, Radiographie de l’interactivité radiophonique, Mémoire de Master en Sciences de l’Information et de la Communication, sous la direction de Jean-Jacques Cheval, Bordeaux, Université Michel de Montaigne Bordeaux 3, 2008 http://www.scribd.com/doc/9097285/Radiographie-de-l-interactivite-radiophonique-Bs

23. Thanks for your attention Merci de votre attention Blandine Schmidt schmidt.blandine@gmail.com