On a Radio Long Ago and Far Away

The following is a MediaNote Classic. It was originally presented to MC101 students in January 2016.

Radio dramas and comedies were commonplace American entertainment from the 1930s through the 1950s. In the decades since there have been sporadic attempts to revive the genre, including an NPR-created version of "Star Wars" in 1981.

Could podcasts--which are done on nearly every imaginable non-fiction topic--possibly find a place for a new crop of radio dramas. Would people listen?

Questions...

•How do we listen to the radio, or radio-like programming such as podcasts? Where does it fit in in our lives?

•How is writing a radio drama different than writing a movie or TV show?

•Is it easier to turn a book into a movie or is it easier to turn a book into a radio drama?

•Who has listened to an audio book? Would a radio drama version be more satisfying or less satisfying? Why?

•Does the Long Tail Theory suggest that radio dramas are due for a revival? Why or why not?