Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) held its Radio Drama Workshop 2016, hosted by MBC Networks in Colombo, Sri Lanka, last week.

The theme for the four-day workshop, which concluded on July 29, was ‘Audio Drama for the Digital Age’, reflecting the fact that radio drama is a content driver in radio broadcasting, one which provides an immersive experience to audiences and attracts their attention. 

The workshop, which was attended by participants from nine countries, aimed to provide exposure and training to the staff of ABU members in further enhancing radio drama in their own stations.

It shared key milestones in the commissioning and creative journey of audio drama, sharing practical strategies and options, SWAT analyses, support and mentoring.

It was an interactive workshop featuring international facilitators including former BBC staff and those from Radio Romania.

An intensive three-day interaction with key practitioners was followed by a working excursion, examining how different forms of fiction can be timely and effective through utilising a range of factual, structured and fictional formats to create compelling audio drama for the digital age.

According to Shanthi Bhagirathan, Group Director, MBC Networks: “For a country where Radio Dramas are still an important part of radio content production for broadcasting practiced by all leading radio stations, this workshop in Colombo was most appropriate and useful.”