Unity through the Airwaves

Summary

Radio disc jockeys (DJs) keep people company throughout the day, using music, conversation and humour to make them happy. But they would have a very serious role to play during a crisis: to calm people with information that they can trust.

Ms Zakiah says that the precise role the DJs would play would depend heavily on the Newsroom's input of timely and verified information. It would be important for the DJs to remain steady and clear in their delivery of the messages as the crisis unfolds. “I imagine that when there's a crisis, people will turn to the radio for first-hand news, to find out more about the crisis, the scale, the casualties, the potential threat, etc. We hope that the familiar voices of our DJs will help our listeners to stay calm and remain resilient in managing the crisis. With the necessary information, we also hope to guide Singaporeans to take necessary precautions to protect themselves”, Ms Zakiah says. If the crisis is a long-drawn one, she hopes that MediaCorp Radio would be able to provide some comfort on air to help its listeners to stay together and keep up their spirits. “And if there are people who are affected by the crisis, radio is also the best medium to rally Singaporeans to come together to help those in need.”

Together with the MHA and MICA, MediaCorp Radio has organized workshops with experts who have first-hand experience tackling the issues. “With the practical sessions, I hope that they are better prepared and operationally ready”, she says of DJs. “While I do not look forward to a crisis, I do hope that we will be able to rise to the occasion when it happens.”

The media are full of messages. How can the CEP message be made to stand out in the midst of all these? Ms Zakiah answers that question by noting that many organizations, clients and media partners have used Radio as a cost-effective medium to carry their messages.