Radio The first electronic mass medium

Early broadcasts 1 st experimental broadcast 1 st experimental broadcast U.S. inventor Lee DeForest U.S. inventor Lee DeForest 1 st non-experimental public program 1 st non-experimental public program Nov. 2, 1920 Nov. 2, 1920 Radio station KDKA Pittsburgh Radio station KDKA Pittsburgh

Early Radios Issues Issues Required headphones; limited to 1 listener at a time Required headphones; limited to 1 listener at a time Poor reception, static Poor reception, static Programs few and infrequent Programs few and infrequent

Growth of Radio 2 years after 1 st broadcast, 1.5 million radios in the U.S. 2 years after 1 st broadcast, 1.5 million radios in the U.S. More than 500 broadcast stations More than 500 broadcast stations Chain, now known as a network: Chain, now known as a network: 1 st linking of radio stations 1 st linking of radio stations Jan., 1923 Jan., 1923 Broadcast concert in NY and Boston simultaneously Broadcast concert in NY and Boston simultaneously

Impact on Culture Brought music (popular and classical) to thousands who had no access to live music Brought music (popular and classical) to thousands who had no access to live music Created national interest in sports Created national interest in sports Helped create national heroes out of sports stars Helped create national heroes out of sports stars Gave rise to fans who knew all about nationally famous teams Gave rise to fans who knew all about nationally famous teams

Financing Radio Publicity Publicity Entertainers agreed to perform on radio because of the publicity it generated Entertainers agreed to perform on radio because of the publicity it generated American society of composers, authors, & publishers American society of composers, authors, & publishers As early as 1922, members of this group demanded to be paid for the right to air their music As early as 1922, members of this group demanded to be paid for the right to air their music Annual fees Annual fees Paid by stations – ranged from $100’s to $1,000’s Paid by stations – ranged from $100’s to $1,000’s Ad time Ad time 1 st radio commercial – long announcement by an apt. complex in NY for $50 1 st radio commercial – long announcement by an apt. complex in NY for $50 Toll stations- stations that aired ads Toll stations- stations that aired ads

The Birth of the FCC Rapid growth of radio caused some problems: Rapid growth of radio caused some problems: Frequencies overlapped Frequencies overlapped Interference from competing stations Interference from competing stations Gov’t regulation was needed to keep order Gov’t regulation was needed to keep order Herbert Hoover (Sec. of Commerce in 1922) played major role in developing radio system controlled by business yet closely watched by gov’t Herbert Hoover (Sec. of Commerce in 1922) played major role in developing radio system controlled by business yet closely watched by gov’t

Radio Act of 1927 Created the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) Created the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) Developed as a result of Hoover’s efforts Developed as a result of Hoover’s efforts 1934, FRC replaced by FCC 1934, FRC replaced by FCC

Federal Communications Committee (FCC) Licenses radio stations Licenses radio stations Controls many of the technical aspects of broadcasting Controls many of the technical aspects of broadcasting Transmitter power Transmitter power Wavelength Wavelength Antenna height Antenna height

Programming Formats After WW II, radio resembled today’s television in several ways: After WW II, radio resembled today’s television in several ways: People listened to specific programs People listened to specific programs Radio dominated by 3 major networks Radio dominated by 3 major networks Growth of tv and increasing # of radio stations changed nature of radio, and various programming formats developed Growth of tv and increasing # of radio stations changed nature of radio, and various programming formats developed

Profits down With so many stations available, it was no longer possible for 1 station to deliver to a large enough audience to make a network profitable With so many stations available, it was no longer possible for 1 station to deliver to a large enough audience to make a network profitable Not enough advertising $ to go around Not enough advertising $ to go around Energy/development $ being spent on television Energy/development $ being spent on television Radio lost network-supplied programs and became local medium Radio lost network-supplied programs and became local medium

Local Stations Turned to phonograph records Turned to phonograph records Disc jockeys Disc jockeys Broadcasts of “rip and read” news items Broadcasts of “rip and read” news items Inexpensive programs that would attract advertisers Inexpensive programs that would attract advertisers Talk shows Talk shows Sports broadcasts Sports broadcasts All news All news

Narrowcasting Carefully selecting music to attract a certain segment of the population to deliver to advertisers Carefully selecting music to attract a certain segment of the population to deliver to advertisers

FM (frequency modulation) Radio The introduction of FM Radio brought revenues to an all-time high The introduction of FM Radio brought revenues to an all-time high FCC decided AM stations that owned FM outlets should not be allowed to broadcast the same signal on both stations all the time FCC decided AM stations that owned FM outlets should not be allowed to broadcast the same signal on both stations all the time Limits placed on the amount of time an AM station could simulcast – created demand for new type of programming different than AM Limits placed on the amount of time an AM station could simulcast – created demand for new type of programming different than AM

FM Radio, cont’d FM filled this programming void FM filled this programming void Forum for Rock n’ Roll music Forum for Rock n’ Roll music 1970’s practically overwhelmed AM 1970’s practically overwhelmed AM 1980’s – explosion of specialized program formats 1980’s – explosion of specialized program formats Trend of narrowly targeting people with particular taste in music continued through 1990’s and is still the case today Trend of narrowly targeting people with particular taste in music continued through 1990’s and is still the case today

Satellite Radio Developed in the 1990’s, satellite radio has become increasingly popular Developed in the 1990’s, satellite radio has become increasingly popular Privately held companies received permission from the FCC to launch satellites and blanket the nation with digital radio programming Privately held companies received permission from the FCC to launch satellites and blanket the nation with digital radio programming Digital sound signals are sent via satellite to any radio with proper receivers Digital sound signals are sent via satellite to any radio with proper receivers 2 main types of satellite radios, Sirius and XM – merged in main types of satellite radios, Sirius and XM – merged in 2009

Satellite Radio and Regualtion FCC cannot regulate content, as it is a paid service (like HBO/Cinemax are to tv) FCC cannot regulate content, as it is a paid service (like HBO/Cinemax are to tv) Satellite radio does not rely on advertisers for revenue, again, as it is a paid subscription Satellite radio does not rely on advertisers for revenue, again, as it is a paid subscription Most stations commercial-free (my favorite perk!) Most stations commercial-free (my favorite perk!) That’s all, folks! That’s all, folks!