In recent times, Radio has an important role in the development of masses, not only because of its effectiveness as a source of information and as a developer of attitudes, but also because of its ready availability virtually to the whole community. Radio is a universal and versatile medium of communication that can be used for the benefits of society. Throughout the years, Radio has been used to encourage positive individual behavioural change through formal lessons or didactic lectures delivered by renowned scholars and authorities. More effectively, however, radio can bring exciting, entertaining programmes into the homes and lives of millions of listeners, dramas that engage listeners’ emotions while informing them of new ideas and behaviors that can improve their lives and their communities. Research shows that the most effective messages begin with an understanding of where the audience is located on the steps to behavior change. They then employ the most appropriate form of communication to move the audience on to the next steps. Five steps to behavior change appear in some form in all commonly used models of communication effects: knowledge, approval, intention, practice, and advocacy (Fossard, 1996). In many ways, Radio provides a mean for social development of people. It helps in making people conscious & aware about the societal problems & suggest path towards how to deal with them. It teaches many things like family planning, health care, law & order of the country, rules of the state, various government schemes & plans and how to contribute to the society for development. Through various social awareness programmes, it develops a positive attitude of the people through humanity and responsibility to the society. Betz (2004) discussed one of the longest standing examples of the use of radio as a tool for social development is that of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Since the 1960s the FAO has been using radio as a means of assisting those in rural areas of developing countries. The goal of which was to assist rural workers so they could come up with concrete solutions to the shared problems they faced together. There are other examples of radio’s ability to convey ideas and messages in basic education. The media were seen as crucial in the UNESCO/UNICEF “Education for All” initiative taken at the Jomtien conference in 1990. Some believe UNICEF used the media effectively for social mobilization in health and other basic education in a number of developing countries. This was particularly effective in areas of conflict or former conflict where health and educational infrastructures had broken down, and where radio was one of the few sources of education as well as information (Adam, 1995). Moreover, in parts of India that are currently out of the reach of the Internet revolution, radio is the main medium of social change.
Throughout the world, Radio is a popular media for disseminating social development messages. Many Radio programmes have proved effective in delivering information to a large audience with universal accessibility. One of the most effective uses of radio for social change is “Entertainment-Education”. The English word “entertainment” comes from the Latin word “intertenere.” The prefix “inter” means “among,” and the verb “tenere” means “to hold.” The whole word “intertenere,” therefore, has the meaning “to hold or command one’s attention.” “Education” also has its origins in Latin, the prefix “e” meaning “out of” and the verb “ducere” meaning “to lead.” Originally, the verb “educare” meant “to assist at the birth of a child.” It now means “to rear or to raise” or, in other words, “to lead a person forward or encourage a person’s growth and development.” “Entertainment-Education,” therefore, can be defined as “commanding the attention of the audience while encouraging their growth and development,” and Entertainment-Education serial drama can be understood as a powerful method of motivating positive social change and personal development (Fossard, 1996). So, the term “Entertainment-Education” describes any communication presented that blends a social development educational message into an entertainment format.
