Sound and Listening: Beyond the Wall of Broadcast Sound

Abstract

I have thought of listening as a discipline, a mindful state of awareness, something to learn, study, and practice—a skill that can be either acquired or lost. I have also questioned these assumptions. More than just paying attention, the literature (e.g., Blesser & Salter, 2007; Schafer, 1977, 1993) tells us listening practices are diverse and culturally determined. For the individual, listening happens on a continuum from the conscious to the unconscious (Truax, 2001). With radio and audio media playing a larger role than ever in the making and future of audio and listening cultures, we are at a crossroads. Even within a shared cultural background it is essential to avoid a totalizing definition, taking care to understand that every individual hears and listens differently. Given the global reach of wireless communications it is increasingly urgent to grasp how media aesthetics, acoustic ecology, and everyday listening are interrelated. Over the past four years, I have engaged in an annual event called World Listening Day. What follows is a narrative account of how a small group of artists and scientists are using this day to publicly and openly engage and educate individuals and organizations about a fundamental yet often ignored aspect of our lives: the soundscape. This small group’s reach has gone surprisingly far, indicating how sound, radio, and listening may open the imaginative space for positive change.