History of Radio Broadcasting

By therealretro

  • Heinrich Hertz detects and produces radio waves.

    Heinrich Hertz detects and produces radio waves.
    Heinrich Hertz was the first to send and receive radio waves. James Clerk Maxwell had mathematically predicted their existence in 1864.Between 1885 and 1889, as a professor of physics at Karlsruhe Polytechnic, he produced electromagnetic waves in the laboratory and measured their wavelength and velocity. He showed that the nature of their reflection and refraction was the same as those of light, confirming that light waves are electromagnetic radiation obeying the Maxwell equations.

  • Broadcasting Boom

    "Broadcasting Boom" occurs as technological advances in radio and the industry's increasing popularity prove the medium to be a valuable commercial tool. Most radio programs are primarily entertainment-oriented, featuring music or drama. Other programming involves limited coverage of high-profile political events, sports, and instructional programs on a variety of ordinary topics such as cooking

  • lEARNING ABOUT rADIO

    Educational programming originating at the UM grows.
    The Regents of the UM become interested in radio.
    WJR cuts the UM's educational broadcasts for commercial broadcasting

  • The UM

    The UM
    Educational programming originating at the UM grows.
    The Regents of the UM become interested in radio.
    WJR cuts the UM's educational broadcasts for commercial broadcasting

  • Michigan Radiom

    The UM starts its first station, known as Michigan Radiom or WUOM.The Regents publish a mandate for broadcasting.
    WOUM is no outlet for studen broadcasting, so student radio clubs form and create small studios in East Quadrangle and West Quadrangle

  • FM Radio

    FCC approves FM stereo broadcasting, which spurs FM development. Today FM radio is used all around america

  • FM Transmitter

    WCBN starts to think about purchasing an FM transmitter.
    FM is deemed necessary to reach off-campus students and the community at large. CBN's audience is a different audience from WUOM's, so there would be no competition.

  • WCBN

    First WCBN fundraiser is organized by Ann Rebentisch, and raises $5,000.WCBN-FM went on the air for the first time on Janruary 23, 1972, broadcasting at 10 watts in stereo on 89.5FM. The carrier current station was kept in operation, but in order to avoid confusion, its call letters were changed to WRCN in 1973.