Bringing Radio into America’s Homes
http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/48682/3/US%20radio%20marketing%20paper%20formtted%20March%202015.pdf
Course Readings: History of Recorded Music | Fall 2019
Course blog for Dr. Stan Renard's Fall 2019 History of Recorded Music course at UT San Antonio.
The radio made getting news and hearing music SO much more convenient. Even the president used the radio. The first president that used the radio was Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR used the radio for Fireside Chats. He used these chats to reassure citizens of the US during the Great Depression. So not only was the radio used for entertainment, it could also be used for political discussions and news. And how much the radio has improved over the decades is quite amazing. It’s WHACK.
More about the Radio: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_understanding-media-and-culture-an-introduction-to-mass-communication/s10-01-evolution-of-radio-broadcastin.html
From the in-home stand-point, the invention and evolution of the radio did make news and listening to music more convienient; but outside the home it brought steadfast communication pilots, ship captains, law inforcememnt, truck drivers, emergency services and many more. It was only after they were used for communications by these means that they then became household items. Revolutionizing the industry forever.
https://medium.com/speak-louder/how-radio-changed-the-world-22e5203b65ba
The radio was one of those inventions that truly changed the world. Not only did it allow citizens to listen to their entertainment within the confines of their homes, but it also educated them with news on politics and society. Though this device was universally accepted, it still required lots of advertising and sales. The marketing teams and retailers who promoted these devices spent so much time going from door-to-door, but fortunately, they were getting the job done. As sales grew, the households of the US became much more similar.
Below is an article detailing the importance of the radio:
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/history-of-radios-cooper-hewitt-museum/index.html
The invention of the radio was not only efficient in letting citizens listen to music, but by also getting new information faster and being advertised a variety of products. However, nowadays, some say that the radio industry is actually dying out due to all these new forms of streaming digitally such as Spotify, Pandora, podcasts, etc. Compared to 2007, the time spent listening to the radio has declined by 6 hours and is especially lower with millennials. In the article linked below, the radio industry’s revenue as well as whether or not it really is declining- is discussed.
https://www.televisory.com/blogs/-/blogs/is-radio-broadcasting-industry-in-the-u-s-dying-an-analysis
Radio was one of those inventions which paved the way to the future during the 1920s. While other means of communication such as the telegraph could be used to speak across long distances, the only real way for most of our country to the news was through the newspaper. However, by the time newspaper companies received, wrote, and delivered their stories the news was already dated information. With the invention of the radio and the addition of addition radio programs, current events and stories could be shared across the country at speeds no one thought possible.
Here is an article on how radio revolutionized communication.
https://medium.com/speak-louder/how-radio-changed-the-world-22e5203b65ba
The radio was probably one of the greatest intentions in the 20s. It was a way for people to relax despite what was going on, a way for communication (FDR and his fireside chats), a way to advertise, and best of all listen to music! From the early 20s to mid 30s the percent of radios in homes when up tremendously. It was crazy to read how people out-placed other necessities like vacuums, refrigerators, and even washing machines just to buy a radio.
https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-was-impact-radio-economy-311620
Before all these programmed and streamed apps, was the creation of radio’s around the 1920’s. Once the entertainment radio was made, it boomed much more for the US as the prices and competition started to go up over the years. The more popular it became, the bigger boost it got to make up a grand audience hear their favorite selection or the latest news. In the video link below, is a great example of how certain children even built their own radio and how the radio affected the world audibly and verbally.
https://youtu.be/QItA2_HJRZA
It is incredible to read about the rise in popularity of the radio and how manufacturers and producers had to adjust to an ever growing market due to what seemed as a significant underestimation of just how popular a device the radio had and would become. Looking at it from a historic point of view, it’s interesting to note how the radio began and with prior knowledge, knowing how it would shape societies. It was and still is such a powerful creation that it can transmit news, affect music intake, and even produce public scares through realistic broadcasts such as Orson Welles’ classic radio drama, “War of the Worlds”. The impact of the radio cannot be overstated and knowing where it came from is important and absolutely fascinating.
Article link for “War of the Worlds”
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/welles-scares-nation#targetText=Orson%20Welles%20causes%20a%20nationwide,the%20Worlds%20for%20national%20radio.
The Radio was one of the biggest inventions during the 1920s in terms of entertainment. Only after a couple of years, it was estimated that about 60% of American households owned a radio. It allowed for popular music, sporting events, and newscasts to be broadcast inside multiple homes. Radio is so influential that it is still apart of our society today and paved the way for new developments.
http://www.american-historama.org/1913-1928-ww1-prohibition-era/inventions-in-the-1920s.htm
The Radio was arguably one of the greatest inventions of its time. Not only was it used for entertainment at a time when things were bleak, but it also helped bring America together. The radio was an amazing tool that connected rural America with urban America.
https://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/471921.html
The creation of radio sparked a new era, multitasking. While standard newspapers were still utilized, the radio allowed for men and women to continue working while they listened to the news. As this era progress, radios were added to automobile, further increasing the multitasking mindset. Today, we see this mindset taken to a whole different level with phones. We are constantly ‘in the know’, and always have ‘background noise’. We are not restrained to only having entertainment from a radio is a home, instead the radio is in our pockets!
Find more about the impact of radio here: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_understanding-media-and-culture-an-introduction-to-mass-communication/s10-03-radio-s-impact-on-culture.html
The radio was one of the most revolutionary inventions in human history. For the first time news, music and radio shows could be broadcasted to anyone that owned a radio. This allowed information to travel faster than ever before and that impacted society greatly.
http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/tireless-wireless
The radio can be compared to the modern day social media networks. The radio was and still is used to play music and inform the public of important news happening around them at all times. As radio technology progressed and became more advanced, the placement of radios moved from the convenience of ones home to the comfort of your motor car.
One can almost immediately see how popular the radio was by looking at how fast the sales increased, from 1% to 67.3%, over a period of thirteen years.
Although radios were expensive to purchase and maintain, this did not prevent the sales from sky rocketing as it was classified as a luxury item. When the “midget” came into the market, it was far cheaper than the other radios. The midget was not of as good quality as the larger radios but due to the economical price of the midget and all day “streaming”, the midget outsold the other radios.
The radio truly paved the way for an easier way to quickly spread news and entertain the public without a problem.
Here is my link about how the radio still lives on today:
http://www.radiomatters.org/index.php/2016/09/02/radio-and-social-media-a-perfect-combination/#targetText=Radio%20is%20the%20original%20social%20medium.&targetText=Naturally%2C%20it%20moves%20from%20traditional,radio%20has%20on%20their%20lives.
Technology has transformed the way people communicate and gain information. The ability to these things would not have been possible if it were not for inventions like the radio. The radio changed the world and opened many doors into the way people recieve information and news. The radio allowed information to be flown through communities and allwoing everyone to be aware about what is going on near their homes.. If it were not for the radio, who knows where the world of communication could be!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=eKQwnB6Or9w
The radio was such an important invention, it changed the way people were listening to music and made it a more important part of culture, and completely changed communication. The majority of people were able to listen to music in their own home, and were also able to hear important messages. It was valued so much, it became as vital as the refrigerator or washing machine. It was so interesting to see that it went through so much to get to where it is now, it changed the way manufacturers and dealers saw the market and forced them to adapt to this popular new product that defied common industry and distribution practices. It was constantly changing and producers had to figure out new ways to sell it. It took companies so much to figure it out, and so now it’s sad to see it’s fading out with the rise of streaming platforms and other ways to listen to music.
https://variety.com/2017/music/news/traditional-radio-faces-a-grim-future-new-study-says-1202542681/
The distribution of phonographs in retail stores caught my attention. David Sarnoff wanted their stores to appeal to women’s tastes due to them being 80 percent of the sales of phonographs. The employees hired also had to have an appealing appearance so the store could have higher sales. Retailers nowadays may argue that the appearance of their employees does not matter to them in the process of hiring. David Sarnoff raises the question of if appearance of the employees produces higher sales.
If you’re interested in learning more about David Sarnoff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCYdwlQyGQs
The idea of the radio growing is crazy to me because it’s something that we still use in today’s time. The radio is such an easy way to get so much information to so many people at the same time all over the place. Businesses in the 1920’s went from like flyers and advertisements in the paper to communicating just a 30 second ad over the radio to hundreds of people, that’s so wild. Although the radio did have sort of a rough start getting started and selling, it’s something that has obviously overcome it’s own problems because they’re in every single car nowadays.
I have included a link that is supposedly the first Christmas Eve broadcast from 1906. This is very cool to me because I love to hear the christmas music on the radios and to hear the instrumental Christmas music from this long ago for the first time is basically like the start of the tradition that so many stations still do around Christmas time today.
https://youtu.be/i76dCrHzaJM
The invention of the radio was one of the greatest inventions ever made! At the time though it was rough in america, as majority of people didnt have momey to spend on things like this. Even though it was a pricey item it seemed as if little by little every home in america would soon to get one. The article I attached goes over the invetion itself and shows how monumental it was for the time period.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invention_of_radio
The invention of the radio allowed for the world to connect and communicate with each other. We have come so far in sharing information with one another globally. Without the invention of the radio, streaming platforms, the internet and television could not have been possible.
Watch the video below to understand how the radio works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU8cVH8YYuo
My apologies, I forgot to put my name, this is my comment.
The invention of the radio made a tremendous impact on our world. From allowing people to listen to music that they’ve never heard before, to being able to instantly spread world news, or even local news is a huge expansion for the government. The radio is a very important way to communicate important information to others, therefore it was probably one of the most important inventions of the time.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/3on1/radioshow/1920radio.htm
The invention of the radio was a game-changing invention. It not only made it easier to hear news broadcasts and hear stories, but music- a form of entertainment- was played too. This allowed artists to be able to hone their talent and careers, taking them to the next level. It definitely was one of the best inventions to have been made, especially in its time. What is even better about it is we still use it to this day, and many people’s livelihoods rely on radio broadcasting. Here is more on radio broadcasting:
https://ethw.org/Milestones:First_Wireless_Radio_Broadcast_by_Reginald_A._Fessenden,_1906https://ethw.org/Milestones:First_Wireless_Radio_Broadcast_by_Reginald_A._Fessenden,_1906
This article details the rise of the radio, it’s fall during the depression, and it’s resurgence after the depression. The radio was one of the most influential pieces of technology in the early 1900s as it rivaled the use of vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, and laundry machines. The radio was even used by the president to send message to his country and only continued to develop as miniature versions were made and it became cheaper to own. Much like the radio, Vinyl records went through the same process as they started off rocky with no way to mass-produce them but then were a hit as they became cheaper. Vinyl records, however, fell out of play for many decades as new technology, such as the radio and other mediums were produced until its resurgence in modern times. Even though radio had a much shorter fall, the radio and vinyl followed the same pattern as they both rose again with improved technology supporting them.
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/rise-and-fall-and-rise-vinyl
The marketing of radio technology follows the pattern set forth by almost every other technological advancement before it, trying to command the market before everyone else. Because of the barriers of entry that early manufacturers built into their marketing strategies, competition had difficulty entering the space. When the economic downturn hit in the 20’s, the manufacturers that focused on budget-minded units became more popular. You see this pattern quite a bit, with Emile Berliner manufacturing discs that would only work with his “gramophone,” and by the time the 20’s hit and the stock market crashed, more manufacturers marketing their units towards average consumers soon controlled the market. This has culminated into the “freemium” content we see today, with the cheapest, most convenient platforms such as Spotify becoming the industry standard. The radio was destined to become a staple in households across the globe, it was just a matter of time.
More on how technology of any form becomes more accessible: https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/feb/04/new-technology-transforming-disabled-lives
The radio was not only a significant invention for the sake of entertainment, yet a new medium for the news and press to disperse facts and information for the masses. In the 1930’s approximately 90 percent of Americans owned a radio, which in turn led to President Franklin Roosevelt to reveal the first fireside chat to the nation. These broadcasts were aimed to directly communicate with the American populous, the ideas and reforms brought about in the New Deal during the economic crisis of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. It is amazing to know that a rather arbitrary item that almost every person owns, gained popularity through financial turmoil and the soft timber of our 32nd President, yet not to say that radio wasn’t popular before FDR.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-broadcasts-first-fireside-chat
The invention of the radio was a game changer for the world. it allowed families new forms of news and entertainment, as well as new marketing platforms for business owners to expand on. It also gave the music industry new ways to get their stuff out into the public and grow sales.
Here is a link about the importance and impact of the radio
https://www.cjfe.org/the_importance_of_radio_in_the_21st_century
The radio brought music, news, and other forms of entertainment right into the homes of citizens. Now, people could listen to popular music as well as hear the president speak to the nation. This article explains the effects that the radio and other technologies of the 1920’s had on the economy. The radio didn’t become popular in households until the late 20’s. In the 1940’s, the radio brought news of the war to people homes which was revolutionary as this level of communication was never possible. The radio also boosted the music and entertainment industry as they now had new pathways to their listeners.
Here is an article that goes into more detail about the history of the radio rather than how it affected the market.
https://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-history-of-the-radio-industry-in-the-united-states-to-1940/
I think that the radio being more widely used by Americans was such a milestone. There are so many reasons for this but one is that for the first time, the average american was being informed on the current state of the nation and they were just more in tune with what was going on around them; the radio really paved the way for news in a different medium because back then there were people that were illiterate and the radio helped them make informed decisions with things having to do with electing people into office.
more about the radio
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/3on1/radioshow/1920radio.htm
One inventor who played a part in speech recording was Fessenden. In the early 1900’s he left his job as the head of the electrical engineering department, to find a way to broadcast weather reports with sound. He achieved being able to transmit speech by using a transmitter. This played a big role by showing your able to transmit a message at wide range. Soon radios started being an every house idem that could transmit frequencies sates away.
My Source: https://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-history-of-the-radio-industry-in-the-united-states-to-1940/
After reading this article, I found the history of the radio very interesting. The thing I found most interesting was how just in the year of 1922, the number of licensed station rose from 28 to 570. From this data alone, I was fascinated to find out how many different radio stations there are now. In 2010, there was 44,000 ration stations worldwide. This was really crazy to find out how much radio stations have increased in less than a century.
To read more statistics on radios check out: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-radio-day-2013/statistics-on-radio/
When the radio hit the market in the 1920’s no one at the time understood just how large of an impact it would have on society. When the radio was first introduced it was seen as a valuable piece of equipment that was somewhat expensive and still hard to attain for the working class. We then see the “midget radio” was produced for much cheaper price which let so many more people gain access to music and entertainment. In the fall of 1926, the national Broadcasting Company was launched, and people now could look forward to regularly scheduled programing all over the country. We can see the price of radios dramatically decrease with the new midgets. More people could now get information from the radio, and not just the newspaper. President Roosevelt could now talk to the public during his “fireside chats.” This was unheard of and really exciting during this age, this was the first time a president could broadcast something to so many people. It really changed how society could now communicate and access different forms of media that were never available to working class people.
Here is a link that describes just how much the radio changed how people received information.
https://mus2713fall19.hcommons-staging.org/sep-19/
Reading this article over the timeline of radio proved to me that radio was one of the most important break through of technology. This was arguably the first most practical form of mass communication and entretainment in the early 20th century. The creation of radios was able to set a tone for future generations of inventors to create devices to facilitate our livings.
Here is an article to expand on the importance of radio: https://www.cjfe.org/the_importance_of_radio_in_the_21st_century
The radio was the jump start of a new technical communication for the world. Getting news and hearing music caused everybody to have a smooth entertainment in the household; even on the go. The greatest invention in the 20’s but had a small down fall because it brought way to many ads and sales. Although, the radios were expensive sales were still sky rocket because back in that day in time it was a must have.
In this link below you will find a live broadcast that shows that the production of radios have increased
alothttps://www.giants.com/news/giants-vs-bills-broadcast-info-tv-channel-radio-station-and-live-stream
The entertainment radio and the automobile were key factors that changed communication technology all over the world during the 1920s. These two factors have impacted the world because of its influence ethically and culturally. The invention of the radio has greatly impacted the world by allowing people to enjoy music, grow and create the entertainment business. The radio business additionally formed an easier way to communicate and expressed news onto the public fast and efficiently.
The website below informs one about the importance of the radio.
http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/tireless-wireless
This article really shows us how big was the impact of the radio in the 1920s. The radio had a huge influence in our life at that time for a lot of reasons but the principal ones were that the radio unified an ethnically and culturally diverse nation, reduce the isolation of rural and small-town America and brought a new, intrusive, and inescapable form of advertising and entertainment into people’s homes. A simple look at the sales of the radio proves us the important it has. In fact, in 1922, only 1 per cent of the american’s homes possessed a radio. Four years later, in 1926, it rose from 1 per cent to 16 per cent, then 45.8 per cent in 1930 and finally 67.3 per cent in 1935. This shows us how tremendous the sales were because the United States was in the Great Depression but still made those sells. Only one year, in 1922, “the number of licensed stations rose from 28 to 570” according to the article as an evidence of the boom of the radio. Another impact that the radio had on our life was the regular nation programming which upset our daily life.
Here is a link to show the importance that the radio had in our life and how it changed our world.
https://medium.com/speak-louder/how-radio-changed-the-world-22e5203b65ba
The creation of the radio was a significant invention that changed the way individuals communicate across the world. This invention being shown to the United States allowed music, podcasts, and news to get to individuals faster no matter where they lived. The Great Depression was occurring throughout the 1920s-30s so this invention allowed President Franklin D Roosevelt to do his fireside chats in order to show people that they were not alone during this depression and to bring light of how these issues were in the process of being fixed. The fireside chats through the radio helped to build the people’s confidence in the government again. To read more about how the radio affected this time period take a look at the link below.
http://www.americanradioworks.org/segments/radio-the-internet-of-the-1930s/
The invention of the radio led to one of the many programs we use today. The broadcasting of the radio is what developed programs such as spotify, apple music, and pandora. We wouldn’t have what we use as our mainstream of music in today’s society. If the radio wouldn’t have been invented I looked more in debt with the start of broadcasting and found and article on how it all first started. I also thought it was crazy with how the radio was so high priced that it was considered a white mans treasure. Heres the article i found giving a more in debt description of the start of broadcasting and how it started the way of streaming.
https://guides.library.duke.edu/c.php?g=480747&p=3321106
Before the radio’s cemented spot in the world, it’s crazy to think about what could have possibly put it in the grave- such as ONLY having male staff in the 1920s, despite women being the most popular customer. Although there were female officers in the beginning of the 20th century, and the first female sheriff in 1912, only men could handle selling and handling radio equipment? Thinking of how far we’ve progressed today, the possible thinking process back then is laughable!
Radio had one of the biggest impacts on the early 1900s in being able to provide a source of entertainment and also a source of information. Radio was able to provide music, live sports commentary, also news and even storytime specials that would be a lead into what TV would become later on. Radio was the blueprint for what people would want out of audio and how it would provide entertainment. Almost 60 percent of Americans owned a radio only a couple of years after its debut. Its impact and influence are some of the most interesting and also informational pieces of technology to ever be invented.
This is a blog on how radio has impacted culture and entertainment
https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec540sept12/2012/10/28/1687/
The invention of the radio has allowed us, the world, to connect and share music. We’ve come a long way in being able to share things like music, info, etc with one another globally. Due to the radio being created, streaming platforms like pandora, apple music, and many others wouldn’t be around today.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilhowe/2019/01/16/how-music-streaming-won-over-millennials/#8bc19cd25c7c
It is very interesting to me how much gender roles played a part in the full development of the radio. Since it was the early 1900s, women were not allowed to do the same things men were meant to do. Since the radios were heavy, mostly men would take the job of door to door salesman. In the 1920s women would be the primary customers due to the fact that they stayed at home. Radios where one of the first and biggest ways to advertise. We still use it all the time. Cars have radio, speakers gave radio, there are even apps on phones that are just for radio. The radio is definitely one of the more influential products that the music business has ever seen. The Pandora app is very unique because of its function and popularity.
https://www.cjfe.org/the_importance_of_radio_in_the_21st_century
After reading this amazing article I was truly shocked how incredible the invention of the radio was. This certain device was used for various types of communication but especially for music and to spread the news. They started out had boxes in your home or job to being made into the car or automobile. The radio was seen as a luxury to some people and others actually thought the radio in the car was a total distraction. The link provided below explains more about radios in cars and how those people during 1920-1980 reacted to it.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/29631/when-car-radio-was-introduced-people-freaked-out
What I enjoyed about this article was learning how the radio industry flowed with trial and error through all of its outlets: manufacturing, retail, canvassing, etc. Because of this throughout the 20’s and early 30’s you never knew what was going to come out of the forever changing radio industry, which allowed many different companies to succeed in this time era. What I didn’t know and was interesting to learn was today’s major news network NBC was created from the start of radio which truly shows the vast impact this industry had on America, even today.
This link expands upon the creation and impact of NBC:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/National-Broadcasting-Co-Inc
The invention of the radio changed the world. It has helped us share music, and talk shows with each other. This spread new ideas all over the world. The invention also opened the door the entire world of electronics.
The invention of the radio helped shape a new era in society. It was a new form of entertainment and turned into a common household item. Not only did the radio serve as a form of entertainment but also an outlet for news and information of current events. Those who were not literate used a workplace radio to learn about political events so they knew how they would vote. The radio played a huge role in society at the time.
The radio was a revolutionary invention that changed entertainment so that it became more available for everyone. The radio connected us all as it didn’t matter if you were poor or rich, in the city or a rural area, if you had an education or not, everyone could listen to the radio. It was a brand new means of entertainment and communication all in one device that set a new standard for future inventions.
http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/tireless-wireless
The invention of radio was one of the most influential inventions, however the radio had it’s ups and downs. What really caught my attention was that during The Depression dealers struggled to make profit so they found loop holes and stated to sell very cheap radios (the midget). The name makes this cheap form of radio have a negative connotation, but it turns into further developing television receivers in the future.
For more history on “The Midget” check this link out
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_American_Five
The invention of the radio was something extremely incredible. This invention truly changed the way people communicate and connect with each other. Now, knowing that the radio has expanded to streaming devices such as Apple Music, Pandora and Spotify, it is amazing how the way to listen to music has evolved.
Here is a link to 50 facts of the radio, which includes the very first single that was played on radio titled “Flowers in the Rain” by The Move.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41414837
The Radio became a big hit and a big industry in the 1920’s and beyond, having a big impact on the culture of american society at the time. What was interesting from the article is how the relationship between the dealer and manufacturer and who got the most profit and how the radio’s were sold. It’s also interesting to see some companies that were around back then are still around and successful, especially like Warner bros when we were talking about sound in movies and they were the first ones to add the sound to the movie instead of a pianist or an orchestra.
This link talks about how american culture was changed with the advent of radio
http://www.americanradioworks.org/segments/radio-the-internet-of-the-1930s/
The radio has given people more than just entertainment for over 80 years now. It’s a way to access information about any and all topics. The radio has advanced and now capable to reach across borders. This invention has helped people stay connected because of its influence over society.
The introduction of the radio was a superb achievement that revolutionized how Americans were communicating with each other. To be able to turn on a device and instantly hear transmissions from across the country bringing news and information was something that many dreamed of. I’d say that the best thing to happen to radio is fusing it with the music industry. This led to musicians being well renowned, gaining more popularity at an exponential rate, more than they ever would’ve without it. It also brought about a more lively environment in the homes and paved the way for the youth as well.
Here is a link to an article discussing radio and the music world:
http://www.radiomatters.org/index.php/2019/02/11/radios-music-role/#more-2345
The creation of the radio helped spread news quicker than ever before. The first president to be heard through the radio was president Warren G. Harding. The radio also made entertainment more accessible for the public, they could listen to music in there homes.
Here is a link to learn more about how different presidents used the radio as a first.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/harding-becomes-first-president-to-be-heard-on-the-radio
Radio may be one of the most important inventions of all time. Next to sliced bread and perhaps the wheel. Radio provided many people with their only means to get information. Especially for people who could not read. It was also the main source of entertainment in homes by the 1930s. It also brought advertising into the homes of consumers. The importance of radio can be measured by the fact people purchasing radios at an increased rate even during the Great Depression. Even Franklin Roosevelt used the radio to communicate with the country.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-and-education-magazines/radio-1929-1941
This writing piece makes a strong emphasis on the radio in the early 1920s and how it affected the lives of many individuals in that era. An interesting aspect of this article to me was how the radio seemed to be a novelty item in the main family room in the 1920s, sort of like a modern day television set, became so menial to U.S. citizens as technology for playing music evolved at an astonishingly quick rate. For example, most people in modern day times do not even listen to the radio when they drive their cars anymore. They will choose to plug their phone in and play Spotify or YouTube instead. The following link is an article that further discusses the effect that the radio had on the 1920s and the 1930s.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/25154082?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
The history of the radio is quite interesting. In its infancy the radio was primarily used for communicating with ships. Unfortunately the sound quality was awful, which led communication to rely on other means. Generally this was Morse code. Going into World War I the radio was an invaluable asset for military purposes,allowing a fast way to communicate in order to gain the upper hand. After the war radio, found its place as a mainstream item and was now being used for private use in the homes of people. The radio evolved more to a source of entertainment by playing the music of the time.
Here is more information for anyone interested:
https://www.techwholesale.com/history-of-the-radio.html
Even though the radio is becoming outdated, it really revolutionize how we consume information on a broad spectrum. Radio introduced the idea of advertisements through the media and entertainment for all. Everyone had a radio which was convenient because everyone was able to receive content. Without the introduction of the radio, society could have developed differently leaving people without proper news.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio
When the radio hit the market they weren’t cheap but in the publics eyes it was a necessity that they needed to have. Most homes across America were filled with radios with families surrounding them. It was the next big thing for mass communication. Now instead of going and buying the local news paper families were able to get the news, music, and other forms of entertainment right there in their home. The radio was just the beginning to many new and similar creations that we have today.
It is very interesting to see how companies would find ways to advertise and promote a device that, in today’s world, is a very simple device. At the time, it helped bring people together not only by entertainment, but also by distributing information to every household who owned a radio. This, along with providing entertainment, made the radio a valuable piece of hardware for a family to own during the 1920’s and 1930’s. Below is an article showing the impact of the radio in the 1920’s.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/0143968022000012138
I love this!!!! The radio is something that has been such a iron step in the growth of technology. The radio to this day is still a way that many communicate information. Many presidents communicated with the public through radio, the first being president Franklin D. Roosevelt. Now a days radio is used for traffic communications, weather predictions, sports entertainment, as well as listening to music and learning the daily gossip from the famous world. I personally love listening to the radio and although many may feel it is outdated i absolutely love listening to this technology. If your looking for a good station to listen too, or win contest check out my favorite.
https://www.energy941.com/
The radio has to be one of the best inventions ever, the impact that the radio had was tremendous, nothing like it really existed before it’s time. With the radio people were now able to get information that they needed to them faster, it also helped people who were only able to hear or not read. The radio was even used for politics which we all know by as Fire Side chats which were started by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The radio also allowed for business and the government to advertise what ever it was that the wanted or needed which was so important especially going into World War l
Below I put a link to a video describing the invention of the radio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgkepUUED7k
The radio was an amazing invention in which citizens could enjoy listening to music and broadcasts in their home. The radio was more efficient than the phonograph and having to buy disks for every song you wanted. When reading this article, I love how distributors of radios such as department stores and electronic stores, knew the radio was going to sell. Employees had to up sell the hell out of the radios. Stores began to notice that women were the majority of radio buyers and later, men were buying the radios as well. The radio was also considered a piece of furniture to go into the household. Designs of the radio had to make it look great in homes. To make it sell even more, delivery and assembly of the radios being bought were also included. I decided to link a short video about the evolution of the radio from the discover of radio waves, to now. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBkyTkEytbw
What really fascinated me about this article was the rundown of how the Radio was starting to be sold. And the effect the Great Depression had on its start-up and was forced to change from an “expensive, bulky product”, into something more affordable. Making me wonder what other effects did The Great Depression have in the music industry.
https://www.statista.com/topics/2954/audio-and-sound-equipment/
This article brought up some pretty mixed feelings for me. As with all the other article we’ve red thus far, it is resoundingly clear that the early manufacturers of phonographs, gramophones, and radios had a very singular view of what their ideal customer looked like. All of the door-to-door canvasing of salesmen was focused on the portion of America that could afford their products, thus excluding people of color, the poor, and at least initially, women. It makes sense I suppose, but during the depression everyone was strapped for cash and even with credit becoming available the people that could afford “counter-status luxuries” such as these were still pretty slim. This spurred a mass advertising campaign by manufacturers (poster, ads, signs, displays, and novelties), the only problem is that prospective new customers must be literate in order to even understand what is being peddled to them. In the 1920’s and 1930’s illiteracy among whites was 4% while 16-23% for people of color in the same age group. The article states that radio broadcasting unified “an ethnically and culturally diverse nation, reducing the isolation of rural and small town America…” I do not feel that this unity occurred until the Midget appeared and made it possible for industry outsiders to shake up the previous competency-based business model for a more inclusive one that was more cost conscious and accessible.
https://nces.ed.gov/naal/lit_history.asp#illiteracy
The invention of the radio changed how we communicate with each other and how we listen to music. The radio made it easier to spread the news about events going, ranging from who won the baseball game to who won the presidential election to updates on World War II. The invention of the radio led to a communication device for pilots, truck drivers, police officers. Before the invention of the radio, if you wanted to listen to music, you had to have a vinyl record or watch a live performance. Starting in the 1920s, you didn’t have to leave home or have a vinyl record to listen to music, because the radio broadcasted live performance. The radio had a significant impact when it came out in the 1920s, and it continues to be used today.
https://medium.com/speak-louder/how-radio-changed-the-world-22e5203b65ba
I thought it was interesting to see how they had to advertise the radio itself in order for it to become such a commonplace item, but I still think advertising really started once the radio was commonplace. But since door-to-door methods like the ones mentioned in the article are still used today by people like telecommunications providers, they must still have some merit in a world ruled by ads. I think the radio truly established an era of advertising but it exploded so much that it undermined the effectiveness of itself.
Here’s an article about the rise and fall of advertising: https://www.social-experts.net/rise-fall-advertising/
The radio made listening more easier, its one of the best inventions to be made. With the radio being one of the greatest inventions of today has made it way more conventional for people to listen and retain information and also listen to music. Music back then sounded kinda different and not so clear, but through time it made progress. Even through the war of the 1800s-1900s it made it way to tell people what was going on during the war. Basically the radio made life more fluctuate and beneficial.
Here’s the link:
https://www.techwholesale.com/history-of-the-radio.html
The radio was an important piece of technology since it changed how people listened to music, news, and sports. The radio at first was used as a way to communicate and contact ships. The connection between the ships wasn’t the best so they converted to morse code. Then, civilians were able to purchase these radios to listen to the news. This was important during WWII as gave them updates of the war. Radios were also a form of entertainment for sports. People would gather up and listen to the game live. Now radios are used in cars but are decreasing in popularity as streaming services take over.
Here is an article that goes more in depth in how the radio played an important role in our lives.
https://www.techwholesale.com/history-of-the-radio.html
I think the radio being a way to listen to recorded music was a great invention, especially since it’s still being used to this day.
To learn how it impacted our history in different ways is amazing. I never knew it grew to be a household item faster than things we need more than a radio!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdfrC7zz8Nc
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=25&ved=2ahUKEwjHmpmvzt3kAhUE0KwKHQfAA5EQFjAYegQIBBAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thoughtco.com%2Finvention-of-radio-1992382&usg=AOvVaw1D9iPuQS9YwESZdcytbNns
It is interesting to understand how radio waves were first utilized. They were something that blended communication and music together. Radio shaped generations because it was at first used for communication, and then it became a massive way to share music. Radio essentially replaced records as the dominant form of musical delivery. It is interesting how it shaped a generation.
The radio has made communication a lot more convienent then its predecessors. From entertainment to even political, the radio has made geetting pur ideas and voices out. Even President FDR used the radio to get important annoucements out.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-broadcasts-first-fireside-chat
I found it quite interesting that the way radios have been sold to consumers has changed drastically over time, from door-to-door sales in the early 20th century, to the unconditional inclusion in car frames, to its use today as the cultural mainframe for how we listen to music today. Radio eclipsed the newspaper as the main method by which the modern world received news, transformed war from locally tactical to centrally commanded, and influenced the generalization of dialects by continuously enforcing speech from urban centers.
https://mediummagazine.nl/radio-making-fm-waves/
Radios in homes were the beginnings of a new era in communication. Everyone around the country would gather around these devices and enjoy unique sounds and newscasts. It became an everyday and important necessity and grew to be one of the biggest inventions in history.
The invention of the radio was a revolutionary item. It not only broadcast a variety of free music, you coukd enjoy it in your car and the comfort of yout phone. It was a mass media invention, meaning that news could be communicated to everyone in the country.
In my opinion, the radio was one of the most life changing inventions for people in the 1900’s. It made the process of getting the daily news so much easier for everyone, as well as listening to music. It is very mind blowing to think how much it changed people’s everyday lives from the morning routine of reading the paper to the music they could listen to on the way to work. Included is an article about how the invention of the radio changed society.
http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/tireless-wireless
Before the Great Depression, the citizens that lived in rural areas were very closed off society. The Radio allowed them to actually be involved with their country they never thought possible. Also most in the country(During the Great Depression) were still able to afford a radio which in turn was able to make a massive change in media consumption that would change in the years to come.
Radios gave a truly necessary distraction to citizens from the hardships of the Great Depression. They gave a social outlet in certain zones, also neighbors would accumulate from miles around to tune in to a most favorite channel or program playing on the one certain area nearby. When people became acclimated to the convenience and how easy it was to listen to the news, and also when they became familiar with the delight of their favorite music, they would not like to live without it. People during the Great Depression didn’t have other option but to sell or get rid of their furniture or many other personal items during the harshest of times, but do not even think about messing with their radios. In the following article is more on how radio gave the same impact on society just as how internet has such an impact on our world today.
http://www.americanradioworks.org/segments/radio-the-internet-of-the-1930s/
As radio development increased so did the demand for the production of radios. One thing I found interesting with this article was the fact that all of the companies out there wanting to make these radios was held to the distribution of these products by territories. With the demand and development of these radios, companies were forced to determine what the risks and benefits were and what their stock options were. Starting out by putting them in cars and then putting them in homes, made for a high demand. As with everything else, the depression caused for a great decline. It took a lot for that to come back, as with the initial product, it took a lot of advertisement and hard selling, but it came back with newer and better models.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/jtk187/art2/radio.htm
The radio is a wonderful invention that has given many people a new form of entertainment. In some parts of the country during the great depression, people would walk miles just to be able to listen to their favorite show. 60 million people listened to the presidents “fireside chat” which allowed the presdient to address his citizens directly.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma05/macdonald/radiosfx/bg_radio_sfx.html
With the invention of the radio, it drastically changed the lives of people around the world, not just in the sense of music, but in how they get their information as well. Before the invention of radio, people had to rely on word of mouth or newspapers for information on current events. This caused people to get information from mostly the same sources. President FDR also capitalized on the radio and used it to further boost his approval ratings and to keep the public informed on the great depression.
Below you will find a link that further illustrates the impact of the radio on culture.
https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_understanding-media-and-culture-an-introduction-to-mass-communication/s10-03-radio-s-impact-on-culture.html
I found it cool where the article compares the radio to the automobile during the 1920s for transformative communications. Also thought it was so crazy how much thought goes into the behind the scenes marketing that the customers aren’t involved in. The planning that goes into the placement of certain salesmen in certain regions, as well as the locations of the stores and the standards they had to meet were specific in targeting a large group of consumers and it wasn’t on accident. At one point in time radio’s were a common appliance along with the refrigerator and I think that’s so funny.
When radio first came to be in the 1920s, America was in between wars. In this period, more people were living in cities as opposed to farms. Now, 1920 didn’t mean the invention of radio, but it brought about radio as we know it – entertainment radio. I think it’s interesting to see the popularity radio had because it relates to contemporary trends we’ve lived through. I take these technological innovations as part of human evolution. the link I provided is to an article that argues humans are still in evolution.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3327538/
Industries like the music industry are intangible without technology. Tech helps bring forth the next wave of the music industry. With radio being one of those founding pieces of tech it’s wild to think what would happen when streaming finally hits. Radio turned being an artist into a thing with radios fastly becoming available within households. Linked below is a video talking about some interesting facts about the first radios and their impact on the industry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bVketPj5to
Today radio is still very popular but is being over shadowed now by streaming apps like spotify and people are forgetting just how significant the radio really was back when it was first released to the public. with in just a few years the radio was in about 60% of american households. I found it very interesting reading about how specialist dealers embraced the midget radio adapting to falling sales and prices.
Here is an nbc article from earlier in the year about how rdaio today is changing to digital.