Proposal draft 1 Background

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This proposal focuses on a study of which oral communication skills that are most required in the radio broadcasting industry in Singapore. The radio broadcasting industry is the workplace chosen because it is an industry with demanding hiring criteria. It is also an industry where the effectiveness of communication will have a great influence on the public. Since the industry is versatile with many areas of specialisation, we will be narrowing down the target group to radio hosts, whose effective use and display of communication skills are vital.

Our methodology involved using secondary sources for background knowledge on the current situation of radio broadcasting in Singapore. This provided us insights into the validity, feasibility and benefits of our research. Another key component of our research would be the use of primary sources like surveys and interviews to get more realistic and on-scene information about our target workplace. Our target group for interviews are individuals in the academia such as university professors and also radio hosts who worked or are still working at radio stations. The target groups for our survey will be employees in the radio broadcasting industry especially radio hosts and also undergraduates who had worked as part-time radio hosts.
An analysis and comprehensive interpretation of these primary sources will give us the direction for any proposed changes to the curriculum in order to enhance education in National University of Singapore (NUS).

2.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The NUS Excellence Unit (NUSEU) aims to encourage student participation in the ongoing efforts for NUS to become one of the leading universities in the world. The current project requires a group to perform a needs analysis of a workplace and suggest relevant changes from our findings to the NUS curriculum. Quoting from Grünhage-Monetti, the author of the book, "Odysseus: Second Language at the Workplace", a needs analysis is “primarily not on the needs and deficits of individuals but on the communicative requirements of a particular ‘community of practice’.”

Media plays a pivotal role of social and culture influence besides providing information to the public. It is central, if not primary, in our lives (Stack, et al., 2006). Currently English is the predominant language used in television and radio broadcasting in Singapore. Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) and Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS) used to send their broadcasters to expatriate language specialists in order to portray ‘good’ spoken English. However, they seemed to have changed and local accents mixed with educated Singapore English could be heard nowadays (Venetta, 1996/1997). The local radio stations are largely controlled by Mediacorp. Referring to the website information from Mediacorp, the company oversees 14 radio channels in Singapore. There are also two radio channels operating under Singapore Armed Forces Recreational Association (SAFRA). This reflects on the major influence radio stations still have in the country. It is important that the graduates in the industry are fully skilled and trained to perform the task of communicating effectively as radio hosts. It is the dutiful mission of education to equip industry with knowledgeable employees.
With digital revolution, many new alternative forms of radio such as podcasts and satellite radio appear to challenge the traditional form of radio. The winning factors of these new forms of radio are convenience to listeners and freedom to radio broadcasting. Instead of limiting to a fixed radio schedule, these new forms of radio offer the convenience of tuning in to them at one’s own preferred time. In terms of freedom, new media such as podcasts require no license, no frequencies and no companies (Green, et al., 2005). Anyone could create their own “radio show”. The above stated examples present a real challenge that radio companies face nowadays. Even big players in the radio industry are affected by these new challengers, one example - “Viacom announced a 10.9 billion write-down in assets at its Infinity Broadcasting division, a clear signal that earnings prospects were dimming” (Green et al., 2005). However, as articulated by Laraine Mancini, an analyst at Merrill Lynch & Co, radio is “challenged but not dead” (Green et al., 2005). It could be testing times for the radio industry but it could also be a time of change. In order to keep up with times, the radio stations might be forced to utilise the digital technologies such as satellite radio, internet radio and podcasts. Therefore, the prevalence of this highlighted even more on the need to revamp the radio broadcasting industry. Needs analysis at the workplace is a good head start to identify the changes that could be employed for improvement in the industry.

The hiring criteria for radio hosts are demanding. On top of qualifications in the related field, applicants have to speak well, be knowledgeable and creative amongst others. We acknowledged the multitude of skills which are required of a radio host. However, in our research, we are focussing on oral communication needs per se. Quoting Erskine (1935), “Broadcasting is an art, and the broadcaster is either an artist or a failure”. The most essential skill in broadcasting is to get hold of the audience.

Understanding the importance of the broadcasting industry and an overview of the current situation in radio broadcasting, we researched on the relevant NUS curriculum offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). According to the NUS website, the institution offers a degree in Communications and New Media (CNM) and double degree in Business and CNM. The course structure focuses more on journalism, writing, management and the new media. New media refers to the Internet and mobile phones in contrary to conventional media like newspapers, TV and radio. It can be seen that the modules offered in NUS are not customised to the radio broadcasting industry. This is reflected in the Centralised Online Registration System (CORS) website by the limited number of related modules like Intercultural Communication (NM2201) and Principles of Communication Management (NM2219). There are not many modules on effective verbal communication. Perhaps this is due to NUS not offering a major in broadcasting. Among the list of core modules for CNM majors are Communications, New Media and Society (NM1101E), Theories of Communications & New Media (NM2101) and Communications & New Media Research (NM2102). Other modules offered are mostly on media writing (Introduction to Media Writing, News Reporting and Editing, Writing for Communication Management) and new media (Game design, Publications Graphics and Design, Critical Approaches to New Media).

There are few general communication modules such as Professional Communication (ES2007S) and Business Communication (ES2002). However, these are not specialised into radio broadcasting even though there is an oral communication component as part of the teaching. Therefore, we foresee a lack of proper to equip students with the necessary oral skills in the radio broadcasting industry.

According to Singapore Polytechnic, there are modules like TV Studio Management, Radio Production and Broadcast Journalism for those who are interested in Radio and TV concentration. From Ngee Ann Polytechnic's website, we found interesting modules such as Speech Communication and Social Psychology & Communication. Both polytechnics offer internships. Contrary to the modules offered in the polytechnics, NUS lacks focus on oral related skills and radio broadcasting modules.

Lack of emphasis in NUS on radio broadcasting modules or courses may be attributed to the prevalence of polytechnics in Singapore offering diploma in communication to meet the demands of the industry. Besides NTU, there is no institution which offers a Bachelors Degree for communication studies. Looking at a wider context, there are overseas university which offers major in radio and TV broadcasting, or at least there are very relevant modules which students can take. One example is Northwestern University’s School of Communication which offers a major in Radio/TV/Film.

From the MOE website, we found that two of the larger NUS faculties which are the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) and Faculty of Science (FOS) have comparatively and significantly lower employment rates than graduates from other universities. This could suggest that NUS students from FASS seem to be less attractive to employers. Hence it is essential to make certain improvements to increase the marketability of NUS students. Further investigations on this issue should be done to implement possible changes because employment is a very important issue for current students and graduates. Employment is also a major consideration when future applicants consider applying for NUS. Additionally, the reputation of NUS as a leading university might also be at stake if we do not look into this problem.

3.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Despite radio broadcasting being an important and influential form of mass media, FASS in NUS does not offer specialised related modules. The CNM Department places more emphasis on new media, but what about the conventional media like radio? Moreover, the communication modules currently offered does not seem to prepare undergraduates for this radio broadcasting particular workplace. If changes were to take place, the exact needs of the industry have to be determined in order for effective improvements to take place. Therefore, we hope to identify the oral communication skills required in the industry.