2.06.2005 History of the media
The Fourth Estate in America: The Elder Sister of Television
Urszula Sienkiewicz, article provided by SAGA Foundation
The early 1920s brought Americans a new, inspiring source of information - radio. Almost every household, in both big cities and suburbs, welcomed the magical wooden box that provided entertainment like never before.
Poczytaj artykuł
w wydaniu polskimBy 1928, the United States had three national radio networks, two of which were managed by NBC (National Broadcasting Company), and one by CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System). Radio attracted listeners with excellent entertainment programs and live reports from the scene. These captured special attention during the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II. President Franklin Roosevelt discovered and used the power of radio - his "fireside chats," in which he informed the nation about efforts to control economic problems or war progress, became a hallmark of American radio and established a new way for leaders to communicate with the public. After 1945, radio began to lose popularity as television entered the media scene.
Radio broadcasters had to adapt to the new situation - they quickly found a way to fill the gap left by the masses of listeners captivated by television. Since they couldn’t compete with TV in terms of visual effects and drama, they shifted to a music-news format. When car manufacturers began offering built-in radios as standard in the 1950s, the "elder sister" regained favor. After all, what could be more enjoyable than listening to news and favorite hits while stuck in traffic on the way to work?
Interestingly, radio didn’t change significantly in the first half-century of its existence. Traditional AM radio, with relatively poor sound quality but broader signal range, served Americans until the 1970s. Only then did music stations experience a true FM boom. Inventions like the "Walkman" popularized the new sound quality. This led to a split among broadcasters: FM dominated music stations, while those focusing on news (the so-called talk radio) remained on AM.
This format has enjoyed great popularity in the U.S. for 25 years - today, over 1,000 of the 10,000 commercial stations give listeners a chance to hear opinions from celebrity guests or experts and to call in and share their own views. In recent years, both AM and FM radio have gone through a transformation. To retain listeners, broadcasters often choose to specialize. Thus, in the U.S., we have the "big five hot topics":
- country music
- adult programming
- top 40
- religion
- oldies.
In a world dominated by media led by television, radio continues to fight for its audience - and achieves some success. In the U.S., 99% of households have at least one radio - on average, there are five radios per home! At any given moment, over 80% of Americans are listening to the radio! Over the past decade, radio revenue has increased from $8.4 billion to $17 billion!
The number of commercial stations across the U.S. has steadily grown. Currently, there are about 4,793 AM and 5,662 FM stations, though it’s hard to determine how many might appear or disappear in the coming weeks. In the public radio sector, turnover isn’t as noticeable. In recent years, the number of these stations has remained steady at 1,460. Most operate for educational purposes at universities or other institutions, funded by grants (public or private), subscriptions, or endorsements. Their activities are overseen by NPR (National Public Radio), a network that connects all non-commercial stations and ensures their access to information and priority in content creation. Public radio in the United States (including NPR and Public Radio International) reaches over 20 million Americans daily.
The magic of radio has enchanted people worldwide for years. Hundreds of programs have their loyal listeners who tune in daily, weekly, to listen to the "wooden box" (although today that term is quite outdated). Yet, something wields greater power over us - television.
Read all articles in the series The Fourth Estate in America.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
New articles in section History of the media
History of Comcast. How a Modest Cable Company Became a Media Giant
Małgorzata Dwornik
In 1963, it had only 1,200 customers and a dream. Six decades later, it became the world's third-largest media powerhouse. Ralph J. Roberts risked it all to bet on cable television. Did he know what he was doing? The history of Comcast shows that... he knew exactly what he was doing.
Hind Nawfal and Al Fatat. The First Women's Magazine in the Arab World
Małgorzata Dwornik
The Egyptian phenomenon, founded by the "mother of female journalists", lasted only two years in the market. However, in that short time, it accomplished so much for Arab women that it is still called a "revolutionary" today. The Arab "Girl" and its founder were the first significant female voices in this culture.
Vanuatu Daily Post. 30 Years of Struggle (Including Fistfights) for Free Media
Małgorzata Dwornik
Ambition and hard work are not enough to keep a newspaper running. The most popular title in exotic Vanuatu today nearly shared the fate of its many forgotten predecessors. But fate had other plans - thanks to an unexpected reunion and... a phone book. What followed was even more interesting. And not always safe.
See articles on a similar topic:
Ràdio Andorra. The Legend of the Station That Greeted in Three Languages
Małgorzata Dwornik
From its inception, the station broadcasting from the tiny Principality of Andorra in the Pyrenees was a thorn in the side - first to the Germans, then the French, and the Spanish. The conflict over Ràdio Andorra even led to the border being closed to... sheep. After four decades of struggle, the station, known across Europe and the USA, fell silent. But was it forever?
Control is Better
Ignacio Ramonet
The noblest duty of media professionals is to expose cases of law violations. For fulfilling this duty, they have often had to pay a high price. However, for a long time, citizens - at least in democratic societies - could rely on the press and other media in their fight against abuses of power.
The Press in Historical Perspective
Agnieszka Osińska
Researchers trace the prehistory of modern press back to ancient times when primitive forms of mass communication began to emerge.
Atuagagdliutit Grønlandsposten. The History of Greenlandic News
Małgorzata Dwornik
The first issue, published in 1861, had eight pages, an unusual column numbering system, and a print run of 300 copies. At the time, it was one of the few illustrated newspapers in the world and the first to print in color. Its purpose was to encourage Greenlanders to read - a mission it has continued for 163 years. Today, its motto is: "A week without AG is not a real week."
