Transcript Chapter 5: Sound Media - Whatcom Community College

Chapter 6: Popular Radio &
the Origins of Broadcasting
The Story of Radio
• Inventors tinkered with the
telegraph beginning in the
1840s – Samuel Morse
• Starting with the theory of
the existence of radio
waves by James Maxwell,
1860s
• Heinrich Hertz 1880s
attempted to prove
Maxwell’s theory using
electrical sparks that
emitted electromagnetic
waves
Innovators in Wireless
communication
• Expanded the range of
earlier technologies from
narrowcasting (person to
person) to broadcasting
(transmission from one
point to many).
Marconi: The Father of Wireless Telegraphy
on the shoulders of Alexander Popov and
Nikola Tesla
• Italian engineer,
Guglielmo Marconi in
1894 devised a way to
send large amounts of
data from a transmitter
to a receiver.
• Patented wireless
telegraphy in England
in 1896
Tinkerers
Radio’s Development
Stage, wireless
telephony
The First Voice Broadcast
Reginald Fessenden
• General Electric & US Navy
Lee De Forest in 1906
invented (perhaps with others)
the Audion vacuum tube
which detected & amplified
sound.
Hailed as the origin of modern
electronics.
Early regulation of wireless/radio
• The U.S. government realized the potential for
radio to influence opinion, change the
economy, and military affairs.
• Radio waves were determined to be a shared
resource for the “public good”.
• Congress passed laws regulating the public
airwaves to determine the extent to which
private businesses could take part in the
industry.
Milestones in Legislation
• Because radio waves crossed borders, they
were deemed to be a part of interstate
commerce.
• Radio waves could not be privately owned.
• 1910 Wireless Ship Act (following the Titanic
disaster) ships had to be equipped with
wireless transmission equipment.
• Radio Act of 1912 made all radio stations
obtain a license and get call letters.
National Security
• Government concerns about access to point
to point transmitters brought changes to who
could manufacture wireless components.
• WWI heightened concerns about wireless
accessibility.
– Shut down amateur radio operators
• U.S. gained control over the emerging wireless
infrastructure.
Radio Corporation of America
• 1919 saw the creation of a private company
which would have government approval to
monopolize the radio industry.
– U.S. Navy and General Electric.
• This company would acquire American
Marconi and radio & wireless patents from
AT&T.
• Positioned RCA to expand radio technology.
KDKA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMujQke4mMo
• Frank Conrad (worked for Westinghouse) set
up a radio studio and broadcast music to a
couple friends.
• Westinghouse is credited with starting the first
(for profit) radio station in Pittsburgh.
• U.S. Dept. of Commerce began licensing & by
1923 more than 600 commercial and noncommercial stations, a year later, 5.5 million
radios were in use across the country.
Networks
• Private industry positioned radio to take off as
a commercial enterprise.
• Radio stations reached ever larger audiences.
• Networks were centralized, enabling radio
stations to cut costs and share programming
AT&T: Making a power grab
• By 1922, RCA and AT&T were viewing each
other’s turf.
• AT&T monopolized telephone lines but
wanted to break into the “wireless” business.
• AT&T in violation of agreements began to
manufacture radios.
– Started WEAF (now WNBC)
• Began toll broadcasting (paid commercial ads)
and organized a network of affiliates.
National Broadcasting System
• In 1925, the DOJ took AT&T to court and
ultimately the network was sold to RCA.
• AT&T retained its telephone business (long
lines).
• NBC created by David Sarnoff was jointly
owned by RCA, GE and Westinghouse.
– RCA red network subsidiary (original AT&T)
– RCA blue network (jointly owned)
Columbia Broadcasting System
• William Paley bought the Columbia
Phonograph Company in 1928 & renamed
CBS.
• Paid its affiliates to carry CBS programming.
– Netted more than 90 affiliates by 1933.
– Began to invest in top talent, Jack Benny, Frank
Sinatra.
The Radio Act of 1927
• Growth of network affiliates led Congress to
enact a variety of regulatory measures to
bring order to the growing industry
• Radio stations cross frequencies & reception
was difficult.
• Radio Act of 1927 now stations had to reapply
for licenses & licenses could be revoked
• Federal Radio Commission overlooked
industry for compliance to regulations.
• Federal Communication Commission in 1934.
Radio Content
http://www.otr.com/murrow.
shtml
http://www.cbsnews.com/vi
deo/watch/?id=4041379n
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=JjMExW5icxY
The Golden Age of Radio
• Lasted from 1920s-40s.
• Variety of programs reflected American
culture.
• Popular programs included Amos n Andy, The
Shadow, The Lone Ranger, The Green Hornet,
& Fibber McGee and Molly.
• Variety shows featured music and comedy
skits.
• Quiz shows and Dramatic programs.
Amos ‘n’ Andy
• Highest rated program in history.
• Created by Charles Correll &
Freeman Gosden in Chicago.
• Derived from 1800s minstrel
shows depicting black characters
as shiftless & lazy.
• Considered racist by many.
• TV show cast black actors.
The Authority of Radio
• Orson Welles’s radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’
War of the Worlds, aired in 1938.
• Some misinterpreted the show to be an actual
news story.
• Resulted in radio programs having to disclaim
their content.
• Actual effects were over-blown but showed
how mass media influenced public behavior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16vmYLXKdn8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs0K4ApWl4g
Amos ‘n’ Andy
War of the Worlds
The Evolution of Radio
• TV eclipsed radio’s popularity in the 1950s.
• To maintain a competitive edge, radio adapted
to the times.
• Invention of transistors – made radio portable.
• AM (amplitude modulation) and FM
(frequency modulation) – provided greater
clarity & resonance.
• American inventor Edwin Armstrong credited
with developing FM.
Formats Radio
& Rotation
Breakdown of radio station formats
This graph shows a nearly equal distribution of
the listening pie.
Nonprofit Radio & NPR
• Wagner-Hatfield Amendment to the 1934
Communications Act set aside 25% of radio for
nonprofit stations.
• Stations that did not have an affiliation with
labor, religion, education, or civic groups.
• First license went to Pacifica Foundation.
• FCC approved 10 watt FM stations many were
used by students interested in broadcasting
careers.
• Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 allowed for
creation of PBS and National Public Radio.
Radio Goes Digital
• Internet radio – existing stations “stream” a
simulcast of their on-air signal.
• Satellite radio – a “third” band, Sirius XM.
• Podcasting – developed in 1994, combined
pod from ipod and broadcasting.
• HD radio – FCC in 2002, uses a compressed
digital signal to broadcast along with AM &
FM analog signals.
The Economics of Commercial Radio
• Today, radio remains a popular mass medium,
with 93% of citizens age 12 or older listening
every week (p. 182).
• Money in- revenue from advertising.
• Money out – paying for content related
expenses.
• Payola- paying DJs or radio stations to play a
record label’s songs.
Deregulation in the 1990s
• 1996 Telecommunications Act – no limits on
the number of stations owned except 8 in a
single market.
• Marketplace Concept replaced Government as
Trustee ideal.
– Loss of the Fairness Doctrine
– National Association of Broadcasters continues to
lobby Congress to slow changes to the structure of
radio. http://www.wsab.org/index.html
Corporate Radio: CC & CBS own around
8% of all U.S. commercial radio stations &
control 25% of industry revenue.
Radio in a Democratic Society
• Radio industry continues to lobby Congress for
favorable changes to regulation.
– More stations.
– Radio frequencies.
– Loss of localism due to corporate ownership
• Consolidation has dire implications for free
and open expression of views and opinions.
• What will happen in the long term to our
democratic institutions?
Censorship & Talk Radio
• Should talk-show hosts be able to say
anything they want on the radio?
• Is it important to air all potential issues over
the airwaves, even if those issues might upset
some listeners?
• Do all potential topics contribute to
democracy?
• What kinds of things shouldn’t be said or
discussed on the radio?
Entertainment or Bigotry?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmF8iIeOVEo
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3eVeT0zKW4
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mljVh4FACls