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First Radio Signal
In 1985 Marconi, and Italian inventor, sent and recieved the first radio signals. However, these waves were not music or sound as the ones we think of today. While Marconi is credited with the accomplishment, he may or may not have borrowed someone else's. -
Audion Tube
In 1906, Lee De Forest created the audion tube. An audion tube is a vacuum tube with the purporse of amplying signals. Although he is credited, it is very controversial and widely believe that Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian inventor, is the true creator. -
AM Transmitter
This side of the controversial topic stands in Reginald Fesseden's favor. Many people believe that it was the Canadian inventor that developed the AM transmitter. It is not clarified to be Fesseden of Lee De Forest. -
FM Transmitter
In 1912, Major Edwin Armstrong invented the FM transmitter. This was much stronger than AM. Because of this invention, AM became the talk chanels and FM played music. -
Radio at Sea
After the Titanic sank in 1912, an attemt to ensure that something like this would never happen again involved radios. In 1913, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea made a treaty that required any shipboard radio stations to be supervised 24 hours a day. -
First Radio Station
In 1920, the very first radio station was created. Frank Conrad is the founder of the pioneer radio station, 8XK. This station still broadcasts today but was renamed KDKA. -
KDKA License
In 1920, when 8XK, now known as KDKA, was invented,not only was this the very first radio station but it was also the first station recieve a federal license. -
First Commercial License
In 1921, WBZ recieved the first commercial license. This license said that they were able to do things that other radio stations couldn't because of the fact that the others didn't have one. -
First Radio Commercial
In 1922 the radio station, WEAF, aired the first advertisement. The ad was a ten minute commercial for an apartment complex. Now, radio make money off of advertisemnets. -
Federal Radio Commission
The FRC was established to organize the licensing of transmitters. As many people began to create their own radio station, this organization assigned radio station frequencies, call letters and power limits. This organazation is now known as the Federal Communications Commission or the FCC. -
WHN
In August of 1938, New York City's station, WHN, iniatiated "MUsiic To Read By". This was a night hour recording of classical music and was one of the first of its kind. -
WBO Broadcasting Corporation
On August 1, 1940 the U.S. Circut Court of Appeals overturned an earlier ruling on the RCA v. Paul Whiteman case. Paul Whiteman was upset at the fact that WBO aired his music wihtout his or his recording companies permission. -
Popularity of Classical Music
After music began playing on the radio, the was an extreme increase in the popularity of classic, orchestral music. In 1951, Mantovani's "Charmaine" was a huge success as well as a top ten record. -
First Pocket Transistor Radio
In 1954 the company Regency introduced the first pocket transistor radio. This radio is small, portable and as the title implies, pocket sized. This was a huge advance for radio. -
Sony Radios
In 1960, Sony introduced their first transistorized radio. While this is not the first, as that was released be Regency, this definitely take a step forward for spreading the use of these and radio outside of the home.
