Music radio plays a role in social change in serving as a platform for communities. While the change may not always be widespread, it can serve as a backbone for communities. The WDIA emphasized community service, and was a hub not only for black music, but also for charitable causes. Its role in social change came from its popularity within the black community in Memphis in creating a platform for discussion. Shows such as Brown America Speaks allowed just about anyone with a radio in the area to have access to a community-oriented dialogue. One could argue that because the WDIA was segregated by other networks, it had little role in easing race relations at the time. But, because of its core audience of local black listeners, it was central in creating a space for dialogue among the black community as an “ideological, psychological, and organizational resource best.” It was important for black listeners to be hearing a black DJ, instead of being shouted at by conservative white radio entertainers playing exclusively white music.
Berland’s interpretation of radio’s effect on social change is a stark contrast to Jenkins’ analysis of the WDIA. Berland defines “pervasive recentralization” as the shift in the location of authority to more abstract and distant centers, which in turns erodes the more proximate centers of authority. Rather, Berland focuses on the relationship in the national sphere, instead of the localized sphere in Jenkins’ piece. Because of this, Berland can conclude that the radio as a medium has little to no effect on social change because it is defined by the formatting of music, it is dominated by monopolies, and that it only has an effect on the local level because of its availability radius. The location of authority is constantly shifting, but the geographic confines of radio make it unique to its area and listeners. Radio could not have a role in social change on a national scale because of this, but this should not discredit the effect it has on its local listeners. In the local context, the location of authority is the radio station itself, but there are opportunities for more than just one local radio station to air its content. This is actually the advantage of radio stations, in their ability to broadcast certain types of music to the same audience.
Radio as a sonic medium is effective in social change at the local level by serving as a community platform for charity and social dialogue. However, on the national scale, radio has its limitations when compared to the monopolization of musical mediums, and its geographic confinements.
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