CHAPTER 2
From Radio to Television
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter students should be able to understand the following concepts:
Precedents: Describe what happened—or existed—before radio broadcasting
Broadcasting’s beginnings: Recount early broadcast experiments and initial broadcast operations
Monopoly: Discuss why government control of radio did not occur in the United States after World
War I, when most countries took such an approach
Broadcasting’s growth: Outline how the fledgling broadcast industry grew, and indicate who and
what influenced its growth through 1928
Network development: Discuss reasons for emergence of networks in the late 1920s
CHAPTER FOCUS
This chapter provides historical roots for electronic media. Entire courses are often devoted to nothing but
the material covered in this chapter. The text provides condensed highlights of electronic media’s history.
The key reason for studying broadcast history is to show that American broadcasting exists in its present
form because of what happened in the past. Were it not for the entrepreneurial talents of Marconi, or the
dogged determination of Lee de Forest or Reginald Fessenden, for example, broadcasting would likely be
different. Had the federal courts not ruled in favor of Zenith, the Radio Act of 1927 might never have
been written. You could go on with such “what if” examples.
The Golden Web, and The Image Empire—in addition to his more recent television history survey, Tube
of Plenty, provide many fascinating insights and anecdotes of situations, events, and people who played
key roles in American broadcasting.
A study of electronic media history is an appropriate way to begin your course, because all that follows
builds upon the historical antecedents covered in this chapter. Many students seem to get bogged down in
historical detail, however, and lose the big picture you’re trying to create. Emphasize history as more than
a series of obscure names and dates. Tell them that more important than remembering when NBC was
formed or when Fessenden made his first voice transmission broadcast is to appreciate the significance
and relationships of these events. As this chapter shows, radio and television are inextricably intertwined,
and there are good opportunities to discuss their symbiotic relationship.
TERMS, CONCEPTS, AND EXERCISES
Cultural Precedents
Terms: urbanization, mass media, penny press, vaudeville, phonograph, Thomas Edison, motion pictures,
talkies, visual grammar
oDiscuss the role that precursors to mass media played in preparing Americans to become media
Technological Precedents
Terms: telegraph, Samuel F. B. Morse, Morse code, Western Union, PTT or Post Telegraph and
Telephone, transatlantic cable, news wire services, “global village,” telephone, Alexander Graham Bell,
Elisha Gray, AT&T, long lines
oDiscuss what mass and interpersonal communications were like prior to the telegraph and
telephone.
Wireless Communication
Terms: wireless, James Clerk Maxwell, Heinrich Hertz, Hertz (Hz), Guglielmo Marconi, wireless
telegraphy, American Marconi, vacuum tube, Lee de Forest, H.J. Round, arc transmitter, diode, Ambrose
oDiscuss events leading to the invention of wireless communication. Notice the number of years
that separate many of the events listed in the text. Would it take this long today for the
development of a new technology? Consider the rapid development of computers, or
videocassette recorders, or compact disc players, for example. Why, by comparison, did wireless
take such a long time to develop? (There is no single answer here, but the question is an
Birth of Broadcasting
Terms: radiotelephony, Reginald Fessenden, Lee de Forest, RCA, David Sarnoff, cross-licensing
agreements, Dr. Frank Conrad, General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, 8XK, KDKA, “cat’s whisker,”
crystal set
oPoint out that experiments by Fessenden and de Forest were not conducted by major corporations.
Large companies got into radio after the war. Would it be possible in today’s society for
individuals to have such a remarkable impact on the development of a major technological
breakthrough? You might cite the example of Steve Jobs and the first Apple Computers.
oCompare relationships among major corporations involved in wireless communication—AT&T,
Broadcasting Becomes an Industry
Terms: WJZ, WEAF, common carrier, Radio Group, Telephone Group, “toll” broadcasting, “chain”
broadcasting or networks, cross-licensing agreements, NBC, NBC Red, NBC Blue, Columbia
Phonograph Broadcasting System, William S. Paley, affiliation contract, sustaining time (service),
sponsorship
oThe rivalry between AT&T’s WEAF and the Radio Group’s WJZ, both in New York, can be
enlightening. Note very different philosophies of operating a radio station and why and how
services of each station were offered to the public. Who was to pay for these services: the listener
(by purchase of a radio receiver) or message senders (later known as advertisers)?
oDiscuss WEAF’s concept of toll broadcasting and how it was consistent with AT&T’s telephone
experiences. Who, after all, pays for a long-distance telephone call? Why couldn’t the same
Government Regulation
Terms: international conferences, Titanic, Radio Act of 1912, Herbert Hoover, National Radio
Conferences, Radio Act of 1927, Federal Radio Commission (FRC), clear channels, “public interest,
convenience or necessity” (PICON)
oDiscuss ramifications of Hoover’s inability to regulate radio that eventually led to creation of the
Radio Act of 1927.
oEmphasize that broadcasters were clamoring for government regulation. Discuss why they
Depression Years (1929–1937)
Terms: Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt and his “fireside chats,” Mutual Broadcasting System
(MBS), Communications Act of 1934, FCC chain broadcasting regulation, ABC, Westwood One, CNN
radio
oDiscuss some of the ways the Depression affected radio.
oExamine President Roosevelt’s use of radio as a political tool. Here, you could play some of
his radio speeches (see Audio/Visual Sources at the chapter’s end). Note that he was the first
president to use radio regularly to communicate directly with the public in his “fireside
Early Radio Programs
Terms: Amos ‘n’ Andy, comedy programs, copyright law, performing rights, ASCAP, NAB, BMI,
Hindenberg, electronic transcriptions (ET), Bing Crosby, Ampex, magnetic tape recording, “soap operas,”
wire services, Press-Radio Bureau, John Brinkley, Robert Shuler, Orson Welles, War of the Worlds
oWhat roles did women and minorities play in early radio? What is the significance of Amos ‘n’
Andy? Again, audio tapes of this important program are available in bookstores. For further
information on minority images in the media, consult Split Image: African Americans in the Mass
Media (1990), ed. Jannette Dates and William Barlow, printed by Howard University Press, 2900
Van Ness St., NW, Washington, D.C.
oControversy arose concerning use of music on radio: the “rights” of the musicians ran counter to
desires of station owners. Discuss the role of ASCAP. What led to the formation of the National
Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the resulting music-licensing organization, Broadcast
Music, Inc. (BMI), at first a cooperative?
That Little Black Box – The Development of FM Radio
Terms: static, Edwin Armstrong, frequency modulation, high-fidelity sound, multiplexing, bandwidth
oPoint out the experiments by Armstrong to develop FM radio and his efforts to get RCA’s
support. What were the economic consequences for RCA for Sarnoff’s neglect of FM’s
9
The War Years
Terms: Elmer Davis, Office of War Information (OWI), Norman Corwin, Arch Oboler, Robert Trout,
William Shirer, Edward R. Murrow
oNow is a good time to introduce the concept of programming reflecting the times in which it is
produced. Play recordings of World War II productions as illustration. Many programs are
Radio Responds to Television
Terms: Alan Freed, rock and roll, Top 40, Edwin Armstrong, nonduplication rule, deregulation, talk-
based programming
oCritique factors that led to changes and continued growth in radio in the 1950s. Speculate as to
what might have happened had radio not become more portable.
oDiscuss why radio began to program for a more selective audience. Observe that changes in
Early TV Development
Terms: Mechanical and electronic TV, John Baird, image dissector, Philo T. Farnsworth, iconoscope,
Vladimir Zworykin, 1939 World’s Fair and TV, image orthicon tube
oWhat are differences between mechanical and electronic scanning? Who were Farnsworth and
Zworykin, and what role did each play in the development of television? Use Exhibit 2.k to show
TV Takes Off
Terms: “freeze,” Sixth Report and Order, VHF, UHF, channel allotment, intermixture, UHF problems,
color TV standards, kinescope, Allen B. DuMont, DuMont Television Network, FOX, “The WB,” UPN,
Pax TV
oImmediately following the war, why was there no flurry of interest in applications for television
stations? What two developments changed the course of events? (answer: networking and
advertiser interest in TV)
oWhy did UHF get off to such a shaky start? What is the inherent weakness of UHF signals? What
did the FCC do to try to make up for the disadvantage of UHF stations?
oThe problem of UHF tuning on television sets is important. Who were the major manufacturers of
Television’s Golden Age, 1948–1957
Terms: videotape, Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, spectaculars, participating sponsorship, Paramount Theaters,
Disneyland
o Was the “golden era” of television really all that “golden”? Why the name? What types of
programs were popular during that era?
o Discuss the move of television production from New York and Chicago to Hollywood. Why the
shift? Why didn’t the motion picture industry welcome television at first?
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Terms: cable, personalized medium, cable, video recorders, digital broadcasting, HD radio
Use Exhibit 2.m to illustrate the importance of broadcasting in their lives of American families
even with the introduction of new technologies. Discuss the prospects of radio and television
with the shift to digital broadcasting. Point out how broadcasting adapts to increasing
competition that will be discussed in later chapter.
PEARSON MYCOMMUNICATIONKIT RESOURCES
OUTSIDE AUDIO/VISUAL RESOURCES
The Development of Mass Communication (VHS, 26 min., 1989)
Amos ‘n’ Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy (3/4 cas. 60 min., 1981)
Narrated by George Kirby, this provides rare footage of Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll in their
The Radio Priest (VHS, 60 min., 1989)
During the Depression, Father Charles Coughlin was almost as popular as President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt. Millions of Americans listened every Sunday to the “radio priest” as he led a popular protest
against the nation’s economic and social system. It took an army of followers to open his mail, which
Color Adjustment (VHS, 87 min., 1991)
Broadcast Television (VHS, 28 min., 1999)
In 1927, Herbert Hoover made TV history by appearing in one of America’s first experimental
broadcasts; 33 years later, the televising of the Kennedy-Nixon debates changed the face of political
history forever. This program covers the progress of broadcast TV, from experimental novelty, to its
Media History (VHS, 28 min., 1998)
This program is an excellent survey of the history of mass media. Academic and industry experts discuss
the invention and impact of the printing press, telegraph, and telephone. During the 1920s and 1930s,
Radio History (VHS, 28 min., 1998)
This program tells the complete story of radio, from its roots in Marconi’s wireless telegraphy and the
invention of the vacuum tube by Lee De Forest, to its heyday in the 1930s and subsequent upstaging by
Television History (VHS, 28 min., 1998)
This program covers the development of TV from the labs of John Baird, Philo T. Farnsworth, and
Mass Communication, Part 1: Forging an Identity (VHS, 42 min., 1998)
During the first half of the twentieth century, newspapers, radio, and newsreels became America’s eyes
and ears, creating a collective consciousness. Although mass communication assisted in bringing the
The Dawn of the Eye (six-part series)
This six-part series traces the evolution of film and television broadcast journalism and the impact they
have had on our perception of world events. Major journalists and newscasters include Edward R.
History Through a Lens: 1894–1919 (VHS, 51 min., 1998)
Eyes of the World: 1919–1945 (VHS, 48 min., 1998)
Inventing Television News: 1946–1959 (VHS, 47 min., 1998)
Remembering Fred Friendly: Changing the Face of TV News (VHS, 21 min., 2000)
The father of television journalism and an exemplar of integrity, Fred Friendly was a war correspondent
in World War II, the producer of Edward R. Murrow’s popular documentary show “See It Now,” and the
maverick president of CBS News. In this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel examines the
The Depression (VHS, 48 min., 1998)
This program features FDR’s first inaugural address and “Grilled Millionaire” speech, as well as the
flamboyant Huey Long’s “Every Man Is a King.” Other speeches include a call for honesty in
government by Populist Wisconsin Senator Robert LaFollette; two speeches praising, then criticizing,
World War II (VHS, 39 min., 1998)
This program features FDR’s declaration of war on Japan and General Douglas MacArthur’s “Old
Soldiers Never Die” retirement speech before Congress. Other speeches include FDR’s humorous
The Cold War (VHS, 51 min., 1998)
In this program, Nikita Krushchev and Richard Nixon argue the merits of democracy and communism in
The Television: Window to the World (VHS, 50 min., 1996)
This video explores the history of television. It shows how such inventions as the “wireless” and the radio
On the Dial (VHS, 30 min., 1980)
Hosted by J. Fred MacDonald, this video examines the treatment of black Americans during radio’s
Golden Age. It also explores the intriguing conflict such derogatory shows of the World War II era as
This History of Radio (VHS, 30 min., 1997)
Describing how telegraphy set the stage for radio, this video outlines the history of the radio business
Radio: Out of Thin Air (VHS, 50 min., 1997)
This video reviews the history of the world’s first mass broadcast medium. It explains the transition from
telegraph to wireless, profiles significant innovators, and features recordings of early broadcasts. Casey
The Wireless Nation (VHS, 22 min., 1997)
This is a behind-the-scenes look at the development and influence of radio communication, from the
The History of Television (VHS, 30 min., 1997)
This video presents television history as an interaction of business, technology, and the tastes and
The Television: Window to the World (VHS, 50 min., 1996)
This video explores the history of television. It shows how such inventions as the “wireless” and the radio
The Whole World Was Watching (VHS, 50 min., 1998)
This video examines how the ability of live television news coverage to record and present events
simultaneously has changed the way world events are viewed and comprehended. It shows early space
Edward R. Murrow: Voice of America (VHS, 50 min., 1995)
Edward R. Murrow first became known for his radio coverage of World War II and went on to help
Arthur Godfrey: Broadcasting’s Forgotten Giant (VHS, 50 min., 1996)
This video profiles television pioneer Arthur Godfrey from his early days on D.C. radio to his years as
The History of Mass Media (VHS, 30 min., 1997)
Exploring the history of communication processes, this video shows that today’s media environment is an
accumulation of all forms of communication. Distributor: Insight Media.