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Trans Atlantic Radio
Guglielmo Marconi successfully transmitted the first radio signal across the Atlantic Ocean. -
The Titanic Sinks
Van Anda interviews the Titanic’s wireless operator on board the Carpathia and scored another scoop with the last messages of Titanic. -
The Crash of the Hindenberg
The crash of the huge German airship was the first major catastrophe to be covered by on-the-spot broadcast reporting. -
Attack of Pearl Harbor
Japanese planes began dropping bombs on the U.S. base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack was sudden and devastating. More than 2,400 people died. The very next day, all Americans listened to the radio as Roosevelt declared war on Japan. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt dies
The tragic news of Roosevelt's death was first heard on the radio. Listeners were jolted by broadcast interruptions, and a shocked nation struggled to come to terms with the news -
Decline of Newspapers
Newspaper employees strike in New York City over wages. After these strikes many papers have a hard time regaining subscribers and suffer due to competition with television. -
One Giant Leap
NASA accomplished the goal set forth by President Kennedy when Neil Armstrong set foot on the lunar surface in July 1969. The moon landing was the most watched event in history at that point in time. -
Elvis Presley Dies
Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock 'n' Roll", died at age 42. Though no longer a hit maker, the cult of personality for Presley fostered a lucrative business for his family and estate. However, rumors that Elvis faked his death saturated the American tabloid newspapers for decades. -
Challenger Explodes
In a campaign designed to revive the public's interest in space, NASA selected high school teacher Christa McAuliffe to journey into space with a team of astronauts. Seventy-four seconds after liftoff, the Challenger space shuttle burst into flames, killing everyone on board.The explosion was the media moment for a younger generation that the Kennedy assassination was to the youth of the 1960s. -
Death of Princess Diana
Princess Diana, the former wife of Charles, the Prince of Wales and heir to the throne of England, died in a car crash while evading paparazzi -- journalists and photographers who focus on celebrities. Several of the paparazzi were charged with contributing to the crash, but blame for the accident was eventually placed primarily on the couple’s driver.