Radio History

The Beginning

First developed in 1879, the first radios were bulky, noisy, and had poor reception. With the advancments with technology such as vacuum tubes and rectifiers, the radio was honed into the interesting little device that made it into such a craze during the 1920s.
Once radio signals could be transmtted and received with improved clarity around 1920, the idea of public radio began to take hold in America. The first public radio broadcasting station opened in Pittsburgh, 1922. It was an instant success; listeners would sit around the radio listening to everything that was broadcasted. As a result many more radio stations popped up during the 20s, some even over night.

The Effect on America

Radio provided a cheap and convenient way of conveying information and ideas. The first broadcasts consisted of primarily news and world affairs. Later in the decade, radios were used to broadcast everything from concerts and sermons to "Red Menace" ideas.
The radio was certainly one of the most important inventions of the 1920s, because it not only brought the nation together, but it brought a whole new way for people to communicate and interact.



Today the radio is an important media tool that is enjoyed by millions around the world. Despite this, with advancments in technology and the investion of televisions and new media such as the computor, the radio is going into decline. I hope this project will remind me how important and enjoyable the radio can be.