A gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has described radio as a veritable platform for democracy to thrive.
Oguntoyinbo while speaking, described radio as a medium that help humanity to celebrate diversity.
The PDP chieftain made these declarations while delivering his speech as the Chairman of this year World Radio Day organized by Oyo State Council of Radio,Television, Theatre And Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU).
The event was held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Oguntoyinbo while speaking said that the theme of this year’s edition “Radio And Artificial intelligence” is appropriate and timely.
According to him, Artificial Intelligence is the latest technology being imbibed in the World.
He said that Nigeria cannot be an exception.
Speaking on the AI as a new technology, Oguntoyinbo said everyone is trying to adhere to its use in various sectors of the society
He said radio is considered as one of the most widely consumed medium globally, according to the UNESCO.
“Most acceptable statistics on radio reveals that radio accounts for 86 per cent of the total time adults aged 25-54 spend listening to. It is a fact that the radio targets not only people living in metropolitan areas but also in remote areas because its language are understood by both literates and illiterates.
“It is in this regard that the practitioners should offer a kind of content that gives representation to those in the urban areas as well as those in isolated communities as well. Today we are celebrating radio as a way of educating people, providing information, and promoting freedom of expression across cultures.
“Despite being over 100 years old, radio is one of the most popular ways to exchange information, provide social interchange, and educate people all over the world. It has been used to help people, including youth, to engage in discussions on topics that affect them. It can save lives during natural or human-made disasters, and it gives journalists a platform to report facts and tell their stories. As you know, the first World Radio Day was officially celebrated in 2012.
“To some people, AI in radio spells an inevitable loss of human connection and signals the death of human creativity. But I disagree, I think broadcasting practitioners should use AI to enhance their creativity rather than surrender to it totally.
“I will rather advise that we should take a more positive outlook, regarding it as a way to unlock creativity and lower barriers to entry. AI can aid radio production while pushing forward content quality. It is best deployed in radio with care. The emphasis of today, is the importance of a thoughtful approach to AI with clearly defined strategies for its use.
“When used right, AI tools have the potential to: cut routine tasks and admin by letting radio teams focus on creating content that matters to them; create meaningful growth by providing valuable insight into your audience, better tailor ads for listeners and improve revenue to help sustainability; empower both listeners and broadcasters by offering personalised experiences and create space for under-represented voices to be heard; ensure content quality by accelerating the research and fact-checking capabilities of radio teams, allowing them to scale up production without sacrificing quality”.