You get up in the morning and turn on the radio to hear the latest news, weather and traffic reports. You turn it on in the car to enjoy a few songs on your way to work or shop. And, with the evolution of satellite radio, you can now listen to your favourite music, sports, or comedy station commercial-free and non-stop if you want, at home, in the car, or even when away on work or vacation trips.
The radio has come a long way from its first meagre beginnings as an alternative to the often-unreliable telegraph whose lines could not reach everywhere messages needed to go. Its ability to reach multiple recipients soon showed its potential and the simple spark transmitter and radio waves that Heinrich Hertz first demonstrated in the 1880s led to steady improvements by scientists such as Marconi. It was used at sea to save countless lives early in the 1900s. With the refinement of technology, it was ready for commercial use by both early broadcasters and amateurs alike but World War One shut down the industry in the United States for several years as the government used radios for communicating with airplanes and even for entertaining troops.
During the Great Depression, home made crystal sets were enjoyed by everyone. Built from a cheap piece of galena crystal and the wire from a safety pin and connected to iron bedsprings which doubled as an antenna, the sets were grounded to household cold-water pipes, and could easily be fashioned by even the youngest member of the household. Then all that was needed was headphones to bring in the world of radio.
In Canada and the United States, radio’s potential for providing distance education became obvious in the 1930s, but did not catch on until much later. The Canadian National Railways recognized the entertainment value of establishing a network for their passengers and patrons of the hotels it also owned. The country’s other railway, Canadian Pacific, followed its rival’s lead and soon networks began to be established in all major Canadian cities.
Radio contributed much to the culture of North Americans by broadcasting big bands and orchestras live on the air, and mass numbers of people learned about the newest trends in music, decorating, cooking, and fashion. Soon, recorded and syndicated broadcasts brought radio shows to every home and office. It bought much-valued news of World War Two to those left behind when family members went off to fight in Europe. The development of transistors meant the radio could also be enjoyed at the cottage or in the car, further increasing its value.
By the 1950s, radio was firmly entrenched in the culture of the average person, but television was about to become the new medium of entertainment, and it experienced a down-hill slide. While it has never totally been abandoned, the competition forced radio networks to come up with new and innovative ways to hold on to listeners, such as FM and High Fidelity stations which increased the listening pleasure, and stations dedicated to a particular niche of the market, such as rock, country, news, and sports. Today we have evolved into commercial-free satellite radio which can be received from any location. A full description of the development of radio can be found at www.ciadvertising.org/studies/student/99_spring/interactive/jglee/interactive/radio-history.HTML
Next time you turn on your radio, think for a moment about its long and interesting history and how it revolutionized the world and its reception of the news. It’s a great story and one which we should appreciate.
