The revenge of audio

the awakening of binaural sound in the age of podcasts and radio narratives

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/2183-5462_36_7

Keywords:

Radio, Binaural sound, Podcast

Abstract

Abstract

Three-dimensional sound, namely binaural sound, is not a recent technology. Since the late XVIIIth century, early experiments have given rise to continual attempts to perceive sound as human beings hear it. The latest innovations, particularly in the XXth century, have enabled the improvement of this type of technology and the possibility of applying it to various industries, such as cinema or video games. Radio has not escaped this trend and binaural sound is used in both entertainment and journalism. In this article, we want to highlight the role of audio and counter the premise that “video killed the radio star”. We begin by addressing the concept of binaural sound and then focus on analyzing the uses that have been made of this technology in the field of journalism and radio entertainment, underlining how we have witnessed the revitalization of the importance of audio.

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Author Biographies

Ana Sofia Paiva, NOVA FCSH

Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of Beira Interior (UBI) and Master in Journalism from the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the New University of Lisbon (NOVA FCSH). Currently, she's a science communication fellow at the FCSH + Lisboa and N + Ciência que se Explica project, both from NOVA FCSH, and the research areas focus on radio, sound, soundscapes, new listening technologies and podcasts. Also, she belongs to the GT Radio of SOPCOM.

Ricardo Morais, LabCom.IFP

Ricardo Morais is PhD in Communication Sciences and Master in Journalism from the University of Beira Interior (UBI). He is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the UBI School of Arts and Letters, where he teaches Radio and Television Journalism. He is a researcher of the project “Remedia.Lab - Regional Media Lab & Incubator” and was a research fellow of the projects “Public and Private in Mobile Communications” and “Citizens Agenda: journalism and civic participation in Portuguese media”, both developed at the Online communication. He is a member of the research unit LABCOM.IFP - Communication, Philosophy and Humanities, where he is part of the group “Communication and Media”. He has focused his research and publication in the field of journalism, new media, participation and political communication. He is the co-author of the book “Dwarfs on the Giant's Shoulders: Contemporary Challenges of Science Communication”, published in 2016 in the Media and Journalism collection of Books Horizonte publisher. He is the author and co-author of different articles and chapters in different areas of communication.

Published

2020-05-28

How to Cite

Paiva, A. S., & Morais, R. (2020). The revenge of audio: the awakening of binaural sound in the age of podcasts and radio narratives. Media & Jornalismo, 20(36), 129-151. https://doi.org/10.14195/2183-5462_36_7