Assignment for Friday

Do you think radio is still important in the continued development of sitcom?

Due to the popularity of televisions and the internet, I don’t believe that many people actually listen to the radio other than to listen to music. I assume that the majority of people will actually only listen to the radio when in the car, as at home you can watch music channels on television, or simply download any song you want to listen to on the internet.
Most radio stations are dedicated to music and celebrities, Radio 1 for example. There is a radio channel dedicated to drama and comedy however, and this channel is BBC7. This radio station airs children shows but also old classics such as Hancocks Half Hour and The Goons, which were very early situation comedies.
Some actors can and have benefited from appearing on the radio though, as John Cleese found out when he appeared on BBC radio shows such as I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again, which enhanced his career leading to Fawlty Towers and Monty Python. Steve Coogan (aka Alan Partridge) also began his career on the radio, which lead to him starring in the sitcom Knowing Me, Knowing You. Although this has been true for some actors, many sitcoms have began without having any connection to the radio, and become successful. I think that the only way the radio is useful these days for Sitcoms, is that the stars can be interviewed on the radio, and advertisements could also be aired on the radio.