7 Sound Music and Talk Across Media

The Development of the Recording Industry Thomas Edison:  invented the phonograph in 1877  first recording, “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, lasted 10 seconds

Transmitting Music and Talk: The Birth of Radio Samuel Morse:  invented the telegraph in 1844 Heinrich Hertz:  experimented with radio waves in 1888  created a simple transmitter and receiver Guglielmo Marconi:  developed the wireless telegraph

Transmitting Music and Talk (cont.) David Sarnoff:  American Marconi employee  in 1915, wrote the Radio Music Box memo radio as a popular mass medium essentially ignored focus was on support of United States in World War I

Radio Networks In 1923 more than 600 radio broadcast stations in the United States:  provided limited programming in a localized area Sarnoff’s idea of a network:  could provide more programming to a wider group of stations RCA established NBC on July 22, 1926:  actually two networks, Red and Blue

Radio Networks (cont.) William Paley  interested in promoting family cigar business on radio: father initially against the idea  purchased United Independent Broadcasters (UIB) renamed Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)  Paley understood the vital role of advertising

From the Golden Age to the Television Age Golden age of radio—1920s, 1930s, and 1940s  Radio the primary form of entertainment Live music, dramas, action programs Start of soap operas  first programs targeted specifically at women  The Guiding Light started in 1937

From the Golden Age to the Television Age (cont.) Amos ‘n’ Andy (1926):  First nationally broadcast daily drama  Story of Sam and Henry, owners of Fresh Air Taxi Co. Sam and Henry were African American characters roles played by two white actors—Charles Correll and Freeman Gosden program controversial, but did portray middle class African Americans at a time when such portrayals not common

Radio News KDKA broadcast the results of the 1920 election Newspapers threatened by radio, in 1930s:  threatened to cut off radio’s access to AP wire service  threatened to stop printing radio program listings Live news was radio’s advantage:  brought immediacy and broke stories.  Edward R. Murrow’s 1939 reporting during the German bombing of London

The BBC: Voice of the Old Empire British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) :  created as a public service in the 1920s  during World War II, broadcast in more than 40 languages  strong international reach  utilization of a variety of technology Webcasting, FM stations, and satellite services