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Progressives Versus Amateurs
Progressives believed radio to be a useful social tool and therefore believed it must be regulated. Amateurs created chaos which the progressives feared, due to crowded air ways and freedom to do what one wished. -
Guglielmo Marconi Successfully Received Signals Across the Ocean
Italian inventor transmits electrical signals for the first time in history (1895). His invention soon spread to ships on the Atlantic Ocean, where signals were received from England to Newfoundland. -
Creation of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA)
First American radio communications. At the time, Marconi dominated airwaves and the United States wanted to control radio to give themselves the upper hand in World War 1. General Electric, Westinghouse, and AT&T all contributed to the start of the RCA. -
WEAF Radio Station
WEAF began selling “toll broadcasting” so that listeners could choose what they wanted to hear. The first radio broadcast for WEAF was an advertisement for apartments in Queens, New York. As radio developed, so did television, and therefore, RCA gradually expanded into TV. -
Radio Act of 1927
1927 introduced the birth of the Federal Radio Commissions (FRC), which gave the United States government more regulatory control over radio. The FRC could grant or deny licenses. -
The First Television Broadcast in America
Philo Farnsworth first demonstrated the use of electronic television in San Francisco on September 7th, 1927. RCA invested $50 million to the electric television. RCA then broadcasted the Worlds Fair in New York on its NBC network. This is when president Franklin D. Roosevelt appeared on live TV, becoming the first president to ever do so. -
Golden Age of American Radio
1940-1950 is known as the, “Golden Age” for the use of radios. By 1940, 30 million American households owned radios. The programming was funded by sponsors, controlled by advertising agencies, and distributed by networks. -
Classic Network
By 1950, radio was replaced as the most popular broadcast medium by the television. The big three networks (NBC, CBS, ABC) flourished. By 1960, 40 million American households had television sets.