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Popular Radio and the Origins of Broadcasting

Popular Radio and the Origins of Broadcasting. Chapter 6. “In the United States, the early days of network radio gave Americans ‘a national identity’ and ‘a chance to share in a common experience.’”. Paving the Way for Radio. Telegraph Developed in 1840s Morse code

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Popular Radio and the Origins of Broadcasting

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  1. Popular Radio and the Origins of Broadcasting Chapter 6

  2. “In the United States, the early days of network radio gave Americans ‘a national identity’ and ‘a chance to share in a common experience.’”

  3. Paving the Way for Radio • Telegraph • Developed in 1840s • Morse code • First telegraph line and transatlantic cable • Radio waves • Theories by James Maxwell, Heinrich Hertz • Popov, Tesla work on similar inventions

  4. Inventors in Wireless • Marconi “invents” wireless telegraphy, 1896 • First voice broadcast • Fessenden performs “O Holy Night,” 1906 • Origin of modern electronics • De Forest creates Audion vacuum tube, 1906 • Amplifies radio signals

  5. Providing Public Safety • Wireless Ship Act in 1910 • Mandates large ships be equipped with wireless equipment • Radio Act of 1912 • Requires licensing and identification of all radio stations • Limits amateur radio operators • Standardizes SOS Morse Code

  6. Ensuring National Security • World War I • Congress assumes control of radio to ensure national security. • Reduces Britain’s influence over wireless technology • Makes room for U.S. corporations (RCA) • U.S. Commerce Department • Officially licenses 5 radio stations, 1921 • 600+ commercial, noncommercial stations by 1923

  7. The Networks • RCA • Private-sector monopoly, 1919 • Buys AT&T network, 1925 • NBC • Formed by RCA, GE, Westinghouse, 1926 • CBS • William Paley, 1928 • Pays affiliates to carry its programs • Ratings surpass NBC in 1949

  8. More Regulations • Radio Act of 1927 • Licensees do not own channels, must serve public good. • Created Federal Radio Commission (FRC) • Federal Communications Act of 1934 • FRC became Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to monitor radio, telephone, telegraph • Permits commercialization of radio

  9. Golden Age of Radio • American families gathered around radio. • Programs included comedies, dramas, public service announcements, “fireside chats” • Radio reflected shifts in American culture • Attitudes about race, levels of tolerance for stereotypes (Amos ’n’ Andy) • Radio wielded authority • War of the Worlds

  10. Evolution of Radio • Transistor radios,1947 • Helped radio transform itself, battle television • FM radio, 1960s • Made music sound better • Format radio, 1949 • Station managers, not disc jockeys, controlled station’s hour-by-hour music programming • Top 40 was born, 1950s

  11. Contemporary Radio • Large markets feature many stations • Most programming locally produced • Heavily dependent on music • Other content • Nationally produced news; syndicated shows • Listeners loyal to: • Favorite stations • Music formats • Radio personalities

  12. Format Specialization • News and talk radio • Most popular format • Howard Stern, Tavis Smiley, Rush Limbaugh • Adult contemporary (AC) • Middle-of-the-road • Oldest format, still popular • Country • Tiny markets; highest number of stations

  13. Format Specialization (cont.) • Top 40/Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) • Varied playlists appeal to teens. • Losing ground to MTV, Internet • Urban • Features dance, rap, R&B, hip-hop music • Spanish-language radio • Fastest-growing format • Album-oriented rock (AOR)

  14. Nonprofit radio and NPR • Federal government helps nonprofits • Authorizes noncommercial licenses to stations not affiliated with labor, religion, education or civic groups • Approves low-power licenses • National Public Radio (NPR), 1967 • Charged with providing alternative to commercial broadcasting • Funded by private donations, corporate sponsorship, public funding

  15. Radio Goes Digital • Internet radio • Small and nonprofit stations pay smaller royalty fees • Satellite radio • Sirius, XM Radio • Podcasting • Free content, attracts niche markets • HD Radio • Broadcasters multicast additional digital signals within traditional analog frequency

  16. Money In and Money Out • Commercial radio generates revenues from advertising • Local, regional, national ads • Comprises 8% of national ad budget • Commercial radio spends money on content • Music programming 20%, mostly free • Swaps content from national network radio in return for advertising airtime

  17. Payola • Paying deejays to play records • Rampant in 1950s, still persists today • FCC has recently increased enforcement of laws.

  18. Radio Ownership since 1996 • Telecommunications Act of 1996 eliminated most ownership restrictions in radio • As a result, from 1996 to 2005, the number of radio station owners declined to 4,400 from 6,600 • Low-power FM (LPFM) and pirate radio fight back

  19. Will consolidation of power restrict the number and kinds of voices permitted to speak over public airwaves? Radio in a Democratic Society

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