menu szukaj
Weekly Online Magazine
ISSN 2544-5839

new articles each monday
zamknij
advertisementbanner Amazon

29.11.2001 History of the media

The History of Radio Broadcasting

Agnieszka Osińska

Radio emerged almost simultaneously with film at the dawn of the 20th century, as the growth of the press pushed culture past the so-called second threshold of mass distribution. Alexander Popov and Guglielmo Marconi are considered its pioneers, though only Marconi succeeded in patenting the invention.

History of RadioThe first tape recorder in a BBC studio (photo by Douglas Hallam, Jr./public domain)
Marconi achieved this in 1896 in England, though the groundwork was laid by two other scholars:

  • James C. Maxwell, who theoretically developed the fundamental principles of electromagnetism in 1873
  • and Heinrich Hertz, who confirmed Maxwell`s theory by generating electromagnetic waves in 1888.

As a result, it was Hertz who demonstrated the technical workings of radio.

The Birth of Radio


Until the end of World War I, radio remained solely instrumental, serving military and maritime communication purposes. The first radio station, KDKA, was established in Pittsburgh in 1920, coinciding with the announcement of the Harding-Cox presidential campaign results. From that point, the development of American radio accelerated remarkably. While it wasn`t yet a tool for public communication, it was an expensive hobby that allowed society to connect with culture and express individual opinions on its creations and values.

advertisement

Soon, the average family could afford a radio, which politicians quickly took advantage of. Radio became not only a source of information but also a platform for public debate. It also became a tool for propagandists working with Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. Hitler himself summarized its functionality and usefulness best: "Without cars, sound films, and radio, there would be no victory for National Socialism."

Beyond the political sphere, radio also entered the realm of religious practices. A year after regular broadcasting began, Pittsburgh`s KDKA transmitted a Sunday mass every week from a local church.

The development of radio as a mass communication medium in the 1920s and 1930s was closely tied to the activities of corporations with the technical and organizational capacity to produce radio receivers. This production quickly reached mass proportions due to simple technology, and radio became a nationalized, centralized institution that directed its content to a homogeneous audience. This form of radio is perhaps best expressed by the words of Hans Fritsche, head of radio propaganda and chief commentator for German radio: "Radio must reach everyone—or it reaches no one."

The Evolution of Radio


The period when radio reached a single, large audience—the nations—did not end immediately. In the television era, despite remaining secondary to its "younger sister," radio retained significance, though other more modern media came to the forefront: first tapes, then hi-fi, video, satellite and cable TV, computer games, CDs, and digital technology. Through rapid technical development, radio attracted new listeners who previously found nothing of interest on its airwaves.

Contemporary radio presents a true mosaic of legal, organizational, and program types. Alongside major national public broadcasters, there are small pirate stations. The owners of commercial stations range from large media corporations to private individuals. Additionally, small community stations exist, their reach often limited to a town or neighborhood. Fully professional radio operates side-by-side with entirely amateur radio, revealing that radio is an extraordinarily diverse institution, resistant to a single, definitive model.

In Europe, among 9,000 radio stations, five types can be distinguished:

  • National programming channels belonging to public broadcasters (most of these have 2-4 channels);
  • National commercial networks like Classic FM, Radio Zet, or P4 (Norway);
  • Private networks comprising local stations, such as Energy, Sky Rock, and Nostalgie; the owners of such networks typically establish their own advertising agencies to service all the stations within the network;
  • Independent regional or local stations, often operating in large metropolitan areas or local communities, usually sharing frequencies with other stations;
  • Private local stations existing in countries where creating national private networks is restricted or prohibited.

Demonopolization, decentralization, revolutionary changes in broadcasting techniques, the dominant role of television, and intense competition are the primary factors that have driven the transformation of radio. The last factor likely concerns radio professionals the most, who strive to maintain their place in the market through various strategies. The first sign of this is the shift away from the program schedule model, introduced by John Reith, head of the BBC, which involved a single station`s program encompassing all radio functions. Today, listeners can choose what they want to hear, and stations of various themes are emerging rapidly.

For example, a teenager listening to techno or disco won’t tune into the frequency of "Channel Two," dominated by classical music; instead, they’ll opt for a station like RMF FM, where they’re sure to hear their favorite "track." Information-seekers no longer wait for hourly news updates on commercial radio but instead comfortably listen to channels like France Info or BBC 5 Live, offering constant updates from around the world. Youth with unresolved problems can find a kindred spirit on BBC Radio 1 or Radio Bayern.

What is radio, then? Its essence is best captured by the words of A. Faus during the Second International Radio Week in Spain:
"RADIO IS A FULLY MATURE COMMUNICATION MEDIUM AWARE OF ITS ROLE, DISTINCT PURPOSE, AND DIVERSE TECHNIQUES AND METHODS TO ACHIEVE IT."

Share the article:

dodaj na Facebook prześlij przez Messenger dodaj na Twitter dodaj na LinkedIn

COMMERCIAL BREAK

See articles on a similar topic:

Kevin Carter. The Story of a Bang-Bang Club Photojournalist

Małgorzata Dwornik
His photo from Sudan, "The Vulture and the Little Girl", became an iconic image. Earlier, risking the death penalty, he and his friends documented apartheid crimes in his native South Africa. Kevin Carter, a Pulitzer Prize winner and the creator of thousands of powerful images, struggled with the weight of what he witnessed through his camera.

The History of Television

BARD
In 1875, Ernest von Siemens constructed the first photocell. Two years later, Julian Ochorowicz, a Polish psychologist, developed the theoretical foundations of monochromatic television. In 1924, Scotsman John Baird transmitted an image over a distance. In Poland, we waited until 1952 for the first broadcast.

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 Beginnings and Development of Press Studies

Agnieszka Osińska
In the 17th century, with the emergence of periodical printing, the press became a subject of analysis as a new form of disseminating human thought and social influence. In 1901, Gabriel Tarde, in his study "L'Opinion et la foule," distinguished between a crowd and an audience.

The Fourth Estate in America: I Write, Therefore I Am...

Urszula Sienkiewicz
The press in the United States, extensively discussed before, has another intriguing niche that cannot be overlooked when talking about American media. Magazines: weekly and monthly publications for enthusiasts.

The History of Press Photography

Bartłomiej Dwornik
The birth of photography is dated to 1839, when French painter Louis Daguerre announced the principles of daguerreotype (an image projected through a lens onto a silver-plated copper sheet, developed with mercury vapor, and fixed with sodium thiosulfate).

Playboy. The History of a Magazine Entertaining... Everyone

Małgorzata Dwornik
It was 1953 when young journalist Hugh Hefner took out a mortgage loan and convinced 45 shareholders to finance his idea for an erotic magazine named Stag Party. However, when STAG Publishing threatened to sue for trademark infringement, Hefner changed the name to PLAYBOY.

More in the section: History of the media

community

Facebook LinkedIn X Twitter Google RSS

Work in media

United States
New York • Washington DC • Los Angeles • Chicago • Houston • Phoenix • Philadelphia United Kingdom
London • Birmingham • Manchester • Liverpool • Glasgow • Edinburgh Canada
Toronto • Ottawa • Monstreal • Calgary Australia
Sydney • Melbourne • Brisbane • canberra Ireland, New Zealand, India

advertisement





Reporter shopping

Reporter shopping

Affordable laptops, notebooks and netbooks
Affordable laptops, notebooks and netbooks
for writing
Digital SLR and compact cameras
Digital SLR and compact cameras
for photographers
Books and e-books about media
Books and e-books about media
for reading
Video drones and flying cameras
Video drones and flying cameras
for pilots
Gimbals for stabilizing video
Gimbals for stabilizing video
for those on the move
Software and apps for creative work
Software and apps for creative work
for nerdy ones
More occasions

advertisement
Read books and e-books

Read books and e-books

Okładka Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Okładka The 40-Day Social Media Fast
The 40-Day Social Media Fast
Okładka Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies
Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies
Okładka Mass Communication: Living in a Media World
Mass Communication: Living in a Media World
Okładka Beyond The Feed: A Social Media Success Formula
Beyond The Feed: A Social Media Success Formula
Okładka Trust Me, I`m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator
Trust Me, I`m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator
more books and e-books

Reporterzy.info

More about us

Our tools and services

Contact


© Dwornik.pl Bartłomiej Dwornik 2oo1-2o24