TOPIC 2 : History of broadcast media
Early history ( 1840’s - 1900’s)
Developed out of scientific advances in the fields of electricity and magnetism.
1844 : First transmission of electromagnetic message over wire by Morse
1861 : transcontinental high speed electric comm. system was signaling coded msg
1858 : first transatlantic cable was laid
1870 : a web of undersea cables linked the western world
1876 : The replacement of Morse code with voice transmission when Bell used
undulations in electric current to produce vocal comm by wire.
1864 - Maxwell predicted and by 1887, demonstrated the variations in electric current
produced waves that can be transmitted through space without wires at the
speed of light. - stimulated successful experimentation : Marconi
1896 - Marconi received a patent for his wireless telegraph from British and he formed
his own company to manufacture and sell his own device
1901 - Marconi successfully transmitted a wireless signals ( 3 short beeps, the letter
S in Morse code across the Atlantic ( dots and dashes)
The works of Fessenden and De Forest actually set the stage for radio broadcasting. Fessenden advanced wireless technology
De Forest created vacuum ( Audion tube) tube which permitted radio transmission and reception of sound,
ce and music. Fessenden tried some experiments over radio waves ( music and singing) high quality voice
communication carried by electromagnetic waves
1912 – Sarnoff demonstrated the importance of radio.
Had Vision of radio being a household utility
1900’s – Marconi tried to promote wireless telegraphy for business and military in his
native Italy.
He was more successful in England – obtained patent in 1896 (England ) and 1904 (US) .
He then dominates the business the use of radio telegraph for 2 way comm.
1912 - Titanic disaster
By 1913 - Marconi dominated radio in Europe and US.
World War 1 - role of radio : over the air telegraph - medium for shipping, business,
military comm
After WW1 – navy : temporary control over radio and assets.
Between 1919 – 1920 : things changes when Navy returned radio patent controls and technology to civilians
1920 – Westinghouse ( Frank Conrad) began broadcasting from his Pittsburgh factory
and attracted interests of people and then newspaper coverage.
Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co.
General electric ( GE)
American Tel and Telegraph (AT and T ) and Westinghouse – GE set up a new company Radio Corp of America
(RCA) to develop the radio business.
The selling of radio receivers
The potential of radio was never thought - begins as elitist!
Schools and churches saw educational potential
1922 – AT and T saw the potential of paying for radio just like distance telephony. Radio
was commercialized (Advertisements of product on radio programs) Music,
comedy and other entertainment were used to increased the size of audience
Until 1940 - entirely on AM frequencies.
Radio Act 1912 – called for licensing of transmitters
Radio Act 1927 – created Federal Radio Commission to define
(1) broadcast band
(2) standardized frequency designations
(3) limit the number of stations operating at night
The rise of radio network………
1926 – RCA set up radio network , the National Broadcasting Corp (NBC) to share
expensive programming costs made each station cheaper to operate. Later
became American Broadcasting Corp (ABC)
1928 - Competition from Columbia Broadcasting Systems (CBS)
By 1927 :
National commercial networks had developed
The radio Act 1927 - had reduced radio frequency overlap and interference.
- assigned licenses for frequencies
- letting listeners know exactly which channels stations were on.
Advertising became the dominant means of paying for radio
Created an audience attractive to advertisers
Reaching the masses through networks ( collection of stations Radio and TV) .
During WW2 - Public demand for information on war life.
Towards the end - entertainment dominates and
Until late 1940’s - radio drama were performed
After WW2
Radio broadcasting resume to its prewar pace
TV viewing began its phenomenal rise and became major leisure activity. The invention
of FM radio by Edwin H. Armstrong (1933)
1940 - FM frequency made available for commercial use. FM stations expand.
1948 - more than 600 FM stations had been licensed
With the growth of TV however, FM was put on hold.
Network programming lost its economic base due to fewer advertising
1960 - economic growth for radio
- FM radio grew at a phenomenal growth for radio
- advertising revenue increased slowly
- network radio stabilized
Mid 1960’s - more than 50% of all FM stations were stereo operated
1965 - FCC ruled that FM and FM combinations in cities could no longer duplicate more
than 50% of either station’s programming.
The role of radio changed with the advent of TV
1940’s-1960’s – the developments changed the medium of radio
- FCC licensing of FM
- a new source of recorded music for broadcast
- the intro of radio formats
- the intro of reliable clock and car radios
The scope of radio today……..
l Organization and Industrial structures
l Content
l Functions
l Style
Organization and Industrial structures
Changed from national –network system to local operation
From wide range to limited programmed
Content
40 years ago – made up of stories >
Today – recorded music and disc jockey talk , issue oriented prog
Functions
From in-house to non-home mobile personal informer
Style
Moved from narrative, linear, short prog ( 15-20 mins) to nonnarrativ, nonlinear
( 1-3 mins) content units ( news, interviews and talk are largely descriptive than dramatic.
Today, demand programming, digital audio broadcast , satellite digital radio and
Internet radio mean more program choices for listeners.