By a show of hands, how many of us listen to the radio, without thinking where it came from? The radio is the most widely available medium of mass communication around the world. At least 99% of all U.S. households, have at least one radio receiver. Also, radio is less expensive to produce, transmit, and receive, than television. Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
But what are some of the distinctive functions of the radio?
Around the world, radio is a medium of entertainment as well as of news. Information about what's going on in your city or town, and marketing. The radio is also used to inform and instruct for farming and agriculture. And of course, we also use it for emergencies in case of storms, natural disasters, or military conflict. Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztAPrRrV0oE
Where did radio come from?
The radio is a medium with an amazing history. Radio has evolved considerably since it's early development, and continues to evolve as we enter the digital age. Many inventors and scientists around the world were experimenting with radio technology at almost the same time. In the year 1884, German Heinrich Hertz began experimenting with electromagnetic waves.
Another scientist experimenting with radio technology was African American Granville T. Woods. Who in 1887 invented what is known as "Railway telegraphy" His invention allowed messages to be sent between moving trains and a railroad station.
In 1899, Italian Guglielmo Marconi invented radio telegraphy, and he called it, "The wireless"Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
In 1906, Swedish born inventor Ernst Alexsanderson was among the first to build a working high frequency, continuous-wave machine capable of transmitting a radio broadcast of the human voice and other sounds. Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
Radio before, during, and after WW1
Despite evident practical uses of radio, radio technology still needed to improve, with considerable
financial support from and direction by the U.S military. In April 1917, the radio stations were taken
over by the U.S government, or shut down completely. But, by 1918, radio restrictions were lifted. Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
In 1934, an important breakthrough in radio transmission technology occurred, when professor Edwin Howard Armstrong from Columbia University, invented FM (frequency modulation) radio.
During the 1920's, the first commercial broadcasting networks were formed, initially as radio networks. Affiliated radio stations in multiple cities all broadcasting a common core set of programming. Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
So, what's the radio industry today?
The U.S radio industry revenues had been declining every year since 2006. But, in 2010 rose 5.4% to
$14.1 billion, according to Bia/Kelsey. They are a group that tracks and advices the radio industry.
In the United States, there are 10,000 commercial radio stations and 2,500 non commercial.
None commercial stations, include NPR affiliated stations, college stations, and community and religious stations. Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
Radio Station Programming
Perhaps the most fundamental development in commercial radio in the 20th century was it's eventual specialization. Radio grew in it's early years to become a dominant medium of mass communication. But with the rise of television as a medium of mass communication in the years following World War two, radio fell from a position of media dominance. And like magazines, adapted to the new media landscape. Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
What's the outlook for the Radio industry?
Radio industry experts, remain cautiously optimistic about the radio industry and predict, a slight growth in the future. Thanks in part to a large increase in digital revenues. Which takes us to podcast radio. Podcasts began to rise in popularity from 2004, and they differ from other media formats. Such as? downloads or streaming media. And last, but not least! Satellite Radio! more akin to audio programming than to traditional broadcast radio. Satellite radio, uses digital radio signals broadcast from a satellite with up to 50 channels of CD quality music. In a great variety of formats!
Satellite radio has over 18 million listeners in the United States. In the future, I'm sure we will continue to learn more of the advances with radio and it's broadcasting. Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
www.youtube.com
www.billboard.com
www.google.com
http://www.billboard.com/charts
http://www.billboard.com/chart#id-chart-category-pop
Pavlick, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging media. New York:
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