Television is the chief adversary of radio among the broadcast media, but surveys reveal that the most popular radio presenter over the last two years has been Lo Hsiao-yun, whose program Intimate Listening airs six evenings a week from eight to ten o'clock--which happens to be television's prime time. As her admirers in radio say, Lo has singlehandedly taken on the three TV channels at their very strongest hour. A standard reaction from advertisers offered radio space at that time of the evening used to be "are you kidding!" But now, as Li Tang-i, Chief of Business Affairs at BCC (the Broadcasting Corporation of China) reveals, "That is currently one of the slots in greatest demand for commercials."

Formerly one only ever heard of radio personalities breaking into television, not vice versa, but these days pop stars, TV presenters and figures from the arts all clamor for radio opportunities. An example is the radio show Hsiao-yen's Date with top TV host Chang Hsiao-yen. Chang readily accepted Li Tang-i's invitation to do the show, in which she chats with artist and performer friends, even though radio fees are far less than those paid for television work.

"Without a picture to rely on, radio has to attract an audience through talk alone, which is more of a challenge," comments Chang. "Viewers who see me presenting a show on television feel I am performing, which creates a distance between us, whereas for a radio audience I am closer to being with them in conversation. Since I am not one of those personalities who gets idolized, I have only had little feedback by mail in all these years on TV. But in six months on the radio I have already received many letters from listeners.

According to a survey held last July by the Warring States Research Institute, overall listenership reached 74% in 1990, of which 41.7% were regular radio listeners.

The situation began to look glum for radio after the successive establishment of the three TV channels. "As soon as any good program moved on to TV, the original radio version was done for," recalls Li Chih-cheng, director of domestic broadcasting at BCC. Radio drama and other popular programs went into decline once TV began to air similar shows. From its peak in 1961, radio listenership fell to an all-time low after the Chinese Television System hit the screens in 1971. Not only did that familiar image of the family grouped around the radio set vanish, but one researcher at the time even found that many interviewees were unable to help with his survey for the simple reason that they never listened to radio at all.

Especially in the cities, radio was squeezed out by television and seemed to fall into neglect. Li Chih-cheng, who remembers that bleak period well, says: "For many in broadcasting at that time, it seemed that a career change was the only option." Radio did eventually pull itself out of the doldrums though, and found its second breath.

"All of a sudden broadcasters realized there was one type of programming that was not yet done for, namely music radio," continues Li. "A lot of people like to listen to songs for the sake of company, and can read, talk or do other things at the same time. This appeared to offer a new lease of life for radio, which from that time on began to climb out of its slump." It was a discovery though which reduced the individual or original efforts of presenters, while the amount of songs going out on air increased distinctly. There were soon plenty of pop shows, but with little to tell them apart, because basically the presenter could only announce the title of a song--and perhaps add a few words--then play it.

Technology and economic factors played a part in the recovery too. The burgeoning record industry meant it was no longer necessary to mount a live performance every time music was to be played on air, which cut costs considerably.

Also, over twenty small-scale private stations emerged, with very low overheads, supplying "music while you work" to local factories.

FM radio, which has less interference and better reception--and is thus more suitable for music--dates from 1968 in Taiwan, when BCC took the lead in setting up an FM station. The last twenty years has also seen the arrival of a number of other public broad casting companies on the airwaves, including the Public Radio System, the National Education Broadcasting System, Fu Hsing Broadcasting Station, Taipei Broadcasting Station and (the English language station) ICRT. Together they are the preferred listening of students and city dwellers, more so than the localized, Taiwanese language rural stations.

A further development is that although old-style radio sets the size of a sewing machine have become virtual antiques since the arrival of television, higher incomes and better technology has brought the radio back into the front room in a new guise, as part of the hi-fi system. Portable radios do well for the bed room, and Walkman-style personal radios can be carried by anyone. Meanwhile, car stereos have multiplied with the surge in car ownership of recent years, so there are radios on the move in every street and every lane. Radio reaches everywhere, and is available any time any place. And as Li Chih-cheng points out: "The smallness of a TV is limited to the size of its screen, so it cannot shed any more 'fat,' or ever be as compact as a radio."

According to statistics in the Radio & TV Yearbook, radio ownership in Taiwan increased seven-fold in the twenty years to 1988, from 1.42 million to some 10 million sets--an average of one radio for every two people. In 1987 a survey by Fu Jen Catholic University for the BCC, revealed that radio ownership among that channel's listeners ranged on average from three to five sets per household. The spread of radios has meant a regeneration for radio itself.

Although local private stations, broadcasting predominantly in Taiwanese, "have changed very little in decades," according to Ma Chang-sheng, general manager of Taiwan Broadcasting Co., "it is not easy for them to attract major companies to buy advertising time, and ads for medicinal products are still the mainstay of their income, while their appeal is mainly to the working classes."

Some channels however have grasped the nettle and adjusted program content to meet new circumstances, foremost among them being BCC, Public Radio System, and ICRT. The Warring States Research Institute survey shows that these three have consolidated their strength with listeners, at the same time as opening up new opportunities for radio as a whole.

The most obvious change in recent years is that listening to the radio has become an individual activity. In the past, whenever father wanted Peking opera, the whole family would get Peking opera, and when the kids wanted to listen to the program "Happy Children," the whole family would find itself listening to "Happy Children." Nowadays dad can listen to his opera while the children tune in to their favorite pop music programs, each with their own radio, listening as they please without disturbing one another.

Moreover, now that presenters are no longer addressing the whole family as they speak, their tone can be correspondingly more personal. A program that might once have opened with the words: "A warm hello to all our listeners," will now begin: "Hi! How're you doing!" Program content too can be better suited to specific listener groups, more so than television, which still aims to please all ages at most times.

Also, the fact that there are thirty-two radio stations in Taiwan as opposed to only three television channels, mean that while "watching TV is like sharing from a big plate, listening to the radio is like eating from off small dishes," says William Liu, secretary general of the National Association of Broadcasters. However, it is not always easy for listeners to make a choice from the weekly 32-page radio schedule, let alone commit it to memory.

Radio listeners can broadly be grouped into two types, those who are faithful to certain programs and a certain station, and those who have no idea which station is to be found where. The first type of listener includes those old fans of Peking opera who could not locate their favorite show after BCC moved opera broadcasts from the AM to the FM band, and turned up at the BCC offices radio in hand, looking for somebody to show them where the new frequency could be found.

Many local stations know this phenomenon too, with factory workers having little choice but to loyally tune in to the same programs at the same times every day, and even gladly buying products promoted by the program presenters.

The other type of listener has more spontaneous listening habits, and simply twiddles the dial from end to end until he finds the news, or music that he likes, or if necessary a traffic report.

In response, specialist stations have emerged that aim to establish a fixed audience, and also provide convenience for the spontaneous listener, who can more easily locate whatever type of program it is he wants to hear. The special road report station run by the Public Radio System, featuring continual traffic updates, has become a favorite with taxi drivers for example. When the BCC under went a big shake-up five years ago, it rear ranged the miscellaneous programming of its several frequencies into specialized stations: news and music for the educated classes of society; popular programming for students and the working classes; a station serving women and the old; and a youth station offering the latest hit tunes.

There has also been a change in radio presentation style, following the trend toward making things more natural. Says Li Chih- cheng: "In the past the first requirement for a radio announcer was a clear voice with impeccable enunciation. Nowadays this is secondary to such qualities as character, vitality and style, and listeners may even be put off by a speaker whose delivery is too professional. Knowledge is also important, as listeners like a presenter to sound like a friend who knows that little bit more than they do themselves."

One strength of Lo Hsiao-yun, the BCC presenter credited with challenging the television stations at their strongest hour, is the breadth of her knowledge about popular music. During her program she displays close familiarity with all the songs, singers and composers, whether new or old, and as she says herself: "I only need to pick up a record without taking the cover off, and can tell you what songs it has on both sides."

The Friday edition of her show, in which she runs down the weekly pop chart, has made her an influential character among senior high school students. Chen Yu-ching, who is busy preparing for this year's university entrance examinations, and is unable to study and listen in at the same time, always leaves time on a Friday night to catch the 8.00 pm chart show. "I want to know if any singers I like are in the charts, and it is something we al ways talk about at school the next day."

Lo has over twenty years of broadcasting experience behind her, but around four years ago began to depart from the traditional manner to develop her current breathless, machine-gun rattle delivery, bringing her closer to this new audience of friends. At times she breaks into a hearty laugh, or halts in mid-flow to apologize for talking too much, saying: "I'd better pause for some water or I'll bite my tongue off." Not long ago that would have been an outtake, but such asides have become an indispensable part of her program's intimate atmosphere.

When Li Chih-cheng was testing applicants for posts as presenters at the new youth station, he asked questions about the previous week's pop charts, about Madonna's rise to the top and about the development of modern pop music. In recruiting new staff for the station that serves women and the old, priority went to those applicants with some background in the social sciences. "There is an inevitable trend towards presenters with some kind of expert knowledge, now that more and more people are trying for places in this profession," says Chang Chin-fen, director of broadcasting at BCC, with a smile.

Another reason for the sudden revival of radio broadcasting is that information flow has become increasingly important. While the entertainment value of radio has lost out somewhat to television, music and video, its ability to swiftly provide information at any time remains unrivalled. When events were unfolding in Tienanmen Square in Peking during 1989, it was non-stop coverage of latest developments by the BCC's news station that beat out newspapers and television. During the Gulf War this year, the same station had personnel monitoring CNN broadcasts 24 hours a day, in order to provide the very latest news as it happened.

Radio news reporting also benefits from the extra time that is available to it as compared with the news on the television. Minister of Finance Wang Chien-hsuan once told a TV interviewer: "If you give me ten minutes, then I can talk." The interviewer had no choice but to give up. But in contrast, Wang is a frequent guest on the all-channel radio program "Studio Conversation."

The tumultuous happenings in the Taiwan stock market in recent years have also turned dull updates on the latest prices throughout the day into compulsory listening for a certain segment of the population. Their listenership has been cornered by the Cheng Sheng Broadcasting Corp., its seven daily market updates with financial analysis now being the station's best known program.

Similarly, the worsening of traffic conditions in Taipei has been a boon for radio traffic reports. Says Li Tang-i of the BCC: "Peak listening hours for radio used to end at that time in the day when the TV channels come on air, but now coincide with the daily rush hours, morning and evening."

In the past four years listening figures for the Public Radio System traffic report station have risen continuously. But according to senior presenter Pai Chuan, "we will never win the award for best program," because these days there is very little to distinguish between peak and off-peak hours for traffic, and music on the station has to be interrupted for traffic flashes throughout the day.

One dedicated listener is taxi driver Chou Wen-hsien, who says "the station is not only great reference for drivers, but also helps with passengers, who can hear for themselves about traffic jams and understand if I have to take an alternative route." He adds that the repeated explanations on air concerning the new rush hour added-rate for taxis, saves drivers like him a lot of breath.

Other stations have discovered the advantage of providing this same radio service however, and BCC, ICRT and others also have morning and evening rush hour travel bulletins. Other types of program have also moved in to claim their portion of an audience trapped in its cars at the same time every day, such as Hsiao-yen's Date on BCC, which was purposely moved to the 6-7pm slot for that reason.

Radio in Taiwan has found a new strategy for itself, moving away from mass broadcasting towards a more itemized type of programming, targeted at specific groups in society. New opportunities have brought competitive edge and more participants to the field, all of which is ultimately of benefit to broadcasting.

[Picture Caption]

Radio drama used to be a big hit, especially the all-channel drama program that went out at 8︰00 pm on a Sunday night. (photo by Lo Ching-chang)

The once familiar scene of the whole family gathered together around the radio set has become a thing of the past. Nowadays radio listening is more of a personal habit. (photo by Lo Ching-chang)

Traffic bulletins on the radio are an invaluable help to road users in the city during rush hours.

Radio stations have enlisted the use of helicopters for an overview of t he situation on the roads. (photo by Yu Wei-fen)

Lo Hsiao-yun, host of Intimate Listening, has several times won the title as most popular radio presenter.

(Below) The BCC youth channel is targeted at teenage listeners. Liateners' meetings naturally have a very youthful atmosphere.

Stockmarket fever has brought radio a whole new audience.

Radio drama used to be a big hit, especially the all-channel drama program that went out at 8︰00 pm on a Sunday night. （photo by Lo Ching-chang）

The once familiar scene of the whole family gathered together around the radio set has become a thing of the past. Nowadays radio listening is more of a personal habit. （photo by Lo Ching-chang）

Traffic bulletins on the radio are an invaluable help to road users in the city during rush hours.

Radio stations have enlisted the use of helicopters for an overview of t he situation on the roads. （photo by Yu Wei-fen）

Lo Hsiao-yun, host of Intimate Listening, has several times won the title as most popular radio presenter.

（Below） The BCC youth channel is targeted at teenage listeners. Liateners' meetings naturally have a very youthful atmosphere.

Stockmarket fever has brought radio a whole new audience.