Radio History
MIT2000
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1
Early Radio: Main Themes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Wired/Wireless
Bi-directional: one to one
Uni-directional
1. Central transmitter to
passive receivers
2. “broadcasting”
Public interest/commercial
interest
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Radio/Technology
1.
2.
Radio waves
1.
electro-magnetic
energy, radiating in
waves
Heinrich Hertz (1888)
1.
lab experiments
2.
‘telegraph without
wires’ (Hertzian
waves)
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3
Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937)
1.
2.
3.
Land-Ship
Trans-Atlantic signal
(1901)
Marconi Wireless
Telegraph & Signal Co
1. trans-Atlantic
2. first commercial
service
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4
Reginald Fessenden (1866-1932)
1.
First voice transmission
1.
2.
“radiotelephone”(1900)
Shore-to-ship
“broadcast,” 1906
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Early “Radio-Telegraph”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Morse Code
Shipping/distress
calls
Titanic (1912)
Simultaneity of
Experience
Worldwide Network
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Amateur Radio
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Technical expertise
1. home-made radio sets
Exploratory listeningdistance
Middle-class boys/men
Unregulated frequencies
Bi-directional
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Amateur Radio
1.
Pranks
1.
2.
3.
4.
“All Titanic Passengers
Safe”
Obscene/false messages
Lots of radio traffic
Radio Act of 1912 (US)
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World War I (1914-18)
1.
2.
Military control
1. Naval/ Shellspotting
2. Ban citizen use
Post-1918, oppose:
1. amateur uses
2. foreign ownership
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Early Broadcast Radio
One-to-One:
1.
DXing, 1920-1924
Voice/sound
1.
2.
2.
One-to-Many: Broadcasting
1.
3.
4.
5.
(Telephone “Broadcasters”)
Frank Conrad/KDKA, 1920
XWA, Montreal, 1920
RCA, 1921
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Early Radio
1.
2.
1921: 2 radio stations
1925: 100s in US/CDA
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Dept stores; churches
newspapers; universities
Non-commercial origins
Public Interest
“Limited Spectrum”
11
Network Radio: AT&T (1925)
1.
25-station network
1.
2.
3.
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long distance lines
sell time on
transmitters, “air
time,” to advertisers
purchase blocks/
provide own
programming
12
Content/Culture: Commercial Radio
NBC (1926-)
 public service
 high-brow
 non-sponsored
programming
 Symphony
theatre, etc.
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CBS (1928-)
 more advertising
 ad agencies
produce shows
 soaps; crime
dramas
 “lowest common
denominator”
13
Programming
Music: classical & dance
bands (Tommy Dorsey)
Variety Shows: (Bob Hope)
Drama
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
4.
5.
daytime serial –”Guiding Light”
evening anthology: “Mercury
Theater on the Air”
Children’s Shows
Comedy: “Li'l Abner”; “Amos
‘n’ Andy”
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Radio as Mass Medium, ca. 1935
US
 Private ownership
(NBC, CBS)
 Advertisingsupported
 Popular fare
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UK
 BBC: governmentrun monopoly
 Taxes, license fees
 High-brow/cultural
uplift
15
Radio in Canada
1.
2.
3.
4.
Radio-Telegraph Act,
1913
Dept. Marine & Fisheries
XWA, first license (1919)
$1 licence fee per set
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CDN Radio
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1928: 60 stations
Low power; intermittent
service
Roy Thomson, CFCH
Minimal regulations
Diverse ownership
Selling radio sets
1.
Edward S. Rogers
Entertainment/Commercial
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Networking: CNR Radio Dept
1.
2.
3.
first network, mid1920s
concerts, operas,
plays, health talks,
grain price reports
3 hours weekly, 1929
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US Radio in CDA
1.
2.
3.
Radio-wave
interference
US listening (80%)
1. NBC w/Montreal
affiliate
Can CDN radio
compete?
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Aird Commission
1.
Royal Commission on
Broadcasting, 1928-29
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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John Aird
State broadcasting
organization, (BBC model)
Foster national
spirit/citizenship
Nationalize private radio
stations
“Defensive expansionism”
20
Road to Public Ownership
1.
2.
3.
Canadian Radio
League, 1930
Graham Spry
“The State or the United
States”
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21
Canadian Radio Broadcasting
Commission, 1932
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
State monopoly on network
broadcasting
Extend radio coverage
Produce/transmit programs
Purchase/construct
stations/transmitters
CRBC stations/private
stations
Partisanship
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Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation, 1936
More autonomy
Assured funding
1.
2.
1.
License fees
Dual function
3.
1.
2.
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Broadcast/programs
Regulate Private
radio
23
CBC: Carrier/Content
1.
2.
3.
4.
8 stations; 16 private
affiliates
Strong transmitters
US/UK shows
(entertainment, talk)
Canadian Content
1.
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“The Happy Gang”; NHL;
24
“Peculiar Hybrid” of CDN Radio

Commercial Interest





Corporate power
NBC/CBS
Low-Brow Culture
Entertainment
Advertisingsupported
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
Public Interest





“The State”
BBC/CBC
High-Brow Culture
Educational
Tax/license fee
supported
25
Midterm Exam: Oct 28 2:304:30 pm

Section 1 (5X5 =25 points)


Section 2 (15 points)





Identify/Significance of 5 of 8 terms, concepts
Matching 10 items in columns
5-10 multiple choice questions
Duration: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Closed Book
Covers Lectures and Readings
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Sample Question: “The State
or the United States”




Graham Spry; chairman Canadian Radio
League
early 1930s lobby for Aird Commission
recommendations re: public broadcasting
McChesney article
culminate in 1932; est. of Canadian Radio
Broadcasting Commission
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“The State or the United States”



State: government as bulwark against US
broadcasting which predated broadcasting
in Canada
high culture/ low culture
Canadian sovereignty /US cultural/economic
imperialism
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