"RTÉ is celebrating 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland. And if you'd told the public 100 years ago that a century later, one of the most prestigious radio programmes of the year, The Dawn Chorus (RTÉ1, Saturday, 12am), would feature mainly birdsong, they might have been baffled. Did they not have a superior version of that already, just by opening the window?"
"Nor would there be any point explaining to them that actually, the sound of birdsong on the wireless can be very calming, very good for your mental health - there was no mental health in Ireland at that time."
RTÉ is marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland. A prestigious radio programme, The Dawn Chorus, features mainly birdsong. People from a century ago might have been baffled, since they could hear birds by simply opening a window. The programme’s appeal is not only novelty but also the calming effect of birdsong when heard through the wireless. Birdsong can support mental health, even though mental health was not a recognized concept in Ireland at the time. The contrast highlights how familiar natural sounds can gain new value through broadcast.
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