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Birth of radio
In the mid 1890s, technique physicists were studying electromagnetic waves. Guglielmo Marconi developed the first apparatus for long-distance radio communication on January 1st, 1984. -
First audio radio broadcast
Reginald Fessenden was a Canadian American inventor who transmitted the very first audio radio broadcast from Brant Rock, Massachusetts to the general public. -
First song to be played on the radio
It included a phonograph record of Ombra mai fu (Largo) by George Frideric Handel, followed by Fessenden himself playing the song O Holy Night on the violin. -
First broadcasting radio station
On this site in 1909, Charles D. Herrold founded a voice radio station which opened the door to electronic mass communication. He conceived the idea of broadcasting to the public, and his station, the world’s first, has now served Northern California for half a century. This station was called " FN" -
Radio and the titanic
According to the Senate report released on the Titanic, the final calls from the Marconi began around 10:25 p.m. ET on April 14, 1912. The call from the operator was a distress signal. The report said the Titanic had been struck by an iceberg. Four months after this the American Government passed the radio act of 1912.the law was the first action taken by the US government to gain control of the airwaves and required all operators to hold a valid federal license to use radio equipment. -
Music on Radio
In the 1920s, radio was able to bridge the divide in American culture from coast to coast. It was more effective than print media at sharing thoughts, culture, language, style, and more. For this reason, the importance of radio was more than just entertainment. It was a tool to communicate, interact, and bring the nation together. -
The KDKA election broadcast
On November 2, 1920, Pittsburgh's KDKA aired live returns from the presidential election race between Warren Harding and James Cox. According to the FCC, (Federal Communications Commission) it was the worlds first commerical radio broadcast -
Radio advertising
Radio Commercials Day commemorates the day when the very first radio commercial was broadcast on New York station, WEAF.