TuningintotheGeographiesofRadio

The literature on geography and radio is notably scarce. Though regrettable, the largely dormant study of radio in the geography literature is not unsurprising, owing to geography’s emphasis on landscapes over soundscapes. This chapter turns attention to the portable soundscape of radio. In particular, it presents the origins and historical context of radio, and theoretical perspectives on the study of radio by scholars across the globe. Further, it highlights conceptual debates about how radio has been studied by geographers. The spatial perspective of radio is outlined, and technological convergences in relation to radio are considered, with a particular focus on radio in the digital age. This chapter concludes by arguing that few studies devote sufficient attention to radio for what it is, a sonic medium. As such, this chapter advocates that future studies of radio should adopt a sonic geographical perspective to enable exploration of radio’s new sounds and forms, which comprise increasing creativity.