Video is Killing the Radio Star
Amiri Baraka expresses his love for pop culture and its influence on the Beat generation in his poem, “In Memory of Radio.” Baraka utilizes multiple allusions throughout his poem to illustrate the effects of this unconventional influence. The inspirations drawn from pop culture icons influence the thinking of many nonconformists during the time period of the Beat generation. These inspirations push nonconformists to recognize the many confines of the rigid society that they live in. The unique qualities of these icons push the individuals exposed to them to think creatively, which mirrors the influence the work of the Beat poets had on their audiences. Baraka stresses the importance of the presence of radio in American society, as it encourages free thinking and expression, something often discouraged by other mediums of entertainment and the government by extension.
One of these recognized icons of the poem is the radio show, The Shadow. Baraka asks his audience “who has ever stopped to think of the divinity of Lamont Cranston” and then goes on to say “only Jack Kerouac…& me” (Baraka 340). Lamont Cranston is the alter ego of the main character, The Shadow, in the radio show of the same name. The Shadow is a character who was known for having psychic abilities, which consisted of reading another person’s thoughts, controlling another person’s perception, along with turning himself invisible. His shadow is the only part of himself that remains visible at all times.
This idea of constant visibility developed through the fact that Cranston’s shadow always remains visible, relates to the very medium of which Baraka is observing these pop culture icons through. While many people may see this as a downside to radio, Baraka’s allusion to Cranston suggests that he appreciates both the invisible and visible aspects of radio. Even though you can not exactly “see” the show you are listening to, this concept actually encourages creative stimulation in a listener’s brain. By inspiring listeners to imagine their described scenarios themselves, radio helps to drive audience members to think for themselves and picture the world in their own eyes. To expand on this allusion, The Shadow is centered around a character designed to push the limits of one’s physical being. These supernatural powers lead the listener to imagine themselves pushing the bounds of human confinement. By stating that this character is “divine,” Baraka develops the idea that this unconventional creation is something that is God-like in his eyes. However, this “divinity” is only observed by Kerouac and Baraka, which is significant as both are known to be nonconformists.
Despite the many positives of consuming media from the radio, Baraka acknowledges that many members of his audience probably prefer to have their entertainment dished out on a silver platter, one that lacks any mental stimulation and imagination. Baraka describes the rest of his audience as most likely listening to “WCBS and Kate Smith” instead (Baraka 340). This allusion is significant because it demonstrates a lack of appreciation for the aforementioned radio show, stating that people outside of Baraka’s group of nonconformists do not seek the creative stories in radio, and that people would rather just listen to the news, a very conventional entertainment source. With radio, one is pushed to imagine the stories they hear for themselves, however, with television people can mindlessly consume media without needing to think about their perception of the world. Through referencing Kate Smith, a popular mainstream singer featured on television, Baraka further plays with this idea of mindless consumption, as he compares his idolized inspiration icons, such as The Shadow, with a more mainstream pop culture influence who is widely popular as a result of television.
Baraka references another popular radio show, “Red Lantern” otherwise known as Land of the Lost, in the later half of the poem (Baraka 340). This show is of the fantasy genre and is about the adventures of two children who possess the ability to travel underwater. This concept is unconventional and, like The Shadow, encourages the reader to think outside of the box and examine their own perception of reality. The listener has to imagine how these underwater people live for themselves, as they are not offered a visual aid like they would have on television. This once again promotes mental stimulation and creativity, which helps to inspire audience members to think freely and for themselves. Radio does not tell its audience exactly how to think or what to imagine, there is a lot more creative freedom to consume content on the radio. However, with television, audience members do not even have to question what is being presented to them, as they are shown directly how they should perceive the media at hand.
Through constructing contrasting allusions throughout the poem, Baraka is able to create greater social commentary on the rise of television, and the following death of radio. Baraka describes creative radio shows that push the bounds of human imagination as enjoyed by both himself, and fellow nonconformists, such as Jack Kerouac. However, Baraka describes the general public as falling to mundane television broadcasts that only display the reality of the world around us as constructed by those creating and funding such broadcasts. By developing this dichotomy, Baraka is able to explain some of the influences on nonconformist thinking and stress the importance of developing the necessary skills to think critically about one’s perception of the world around them. Baraka is essentially communicating the importance of consuming media that inspires one to think in ways that are seen as unconventional. The Shadow and Land of the Lost are both two examples of media that Baraka finds to be integral components of pop culture, as their unique plots can be compared to the very individualized, creative works of the Beat generation as a whole.
Baraka, Amiri. “In Memory of Radio.” The Portable Beat Reader. Edited by Ann Charters, Penguin, 1992, pp. 340–341.
