Sound journalism between dial, digital and audiovisual: FM radios on virtual social media sites/apps, in BH

Abstract

This study analyzes how journalism is structured for content production on Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp by the three FM radio stations with the highest audience ratings in Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil. The specific objectives are to understand how these radio stations organize their social media teams; how audiovisual elements are incorporated into their social media content; and how content is selected for publication on the stations’ social media platforms. The research is designed as a qualitative exploratory study, employing document analysis and questionnaires as methodological tools. The findings indicate that the radio stations invest in training their social media and audiovisual teams; however, they do not make effective use of WhatsApp—the most widely used social media application in the country—and underutilize video content, the most consumed format on Brazilian social networks. These results highlight a greater need for the effective integration of social media platforms and audiovisual strategies into radio journalism practices.

Keywords: Radio. Social media platforms. Audio journalism. Audiovisual. Belo Horizonte.