Radio Pop Culture and Radio 1920’s – 1950’s

You have radio to thank… Brainstorm some ideas. Q: Why called the roaring 20’s? Period of prosperity. Worked hard, played hard. Reason: B/C this was the first decade in U.S. History where the youth culture over”powered” the older generations. You (the youth) are the driving force behind this class. Youth have shaped and are shaping popular culture, and it all started with the 1920’s. Note: This is the basic shell of each decade. We’ll get into specific details when we get to each unit/theme.

Radio is Born Radio’s Roots How it works One Big “Commercial” Transmitters and Receivers AM & FM One Big “Commercial” Call Letters FCC U.S. = K, W, N, AA-AL 1920 – KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA 1922-1923 = Birth of Network Radio “Golden Age of Radio” The technology has been around since the 1800’s and the first time voice heard over radio was in 1900. Take a physics class, but here is the bare basics…radio waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Each wave has a different sin wave frequency. Information can be transmitted by converting data into changes in either the waves amplitude or frequency (AM vs. FM). So many waves out there, so need a receiver that will pick up a specific wave and “translate” that data back to the information that we want! AM- original (535 khz to 1700 khz). FM – “invented” in 30’s, not popular until 60’s. FM (88 mhz to 108 mhz) is less prone to interference (static). Initially radio was used by manufacturers and stores to play music in shops and advertise products while you shopped. Call letters are way for station to identify itself. Began in the days of RR telegraph when all train stations were on one line, so needed way to address which station the message was for. Radio adopts this same type of system. A government agency (FCC) determines who gets license and assigns letters. At an international conference in the 1920’s, countries decided that the first letter in call letters should be international code. The U.S. gets K, W, N and AA-AL. Our reps at the conference were military, so they take the N (navy) and the A (army) making K and W the primary call letters for commercial and public stations. At first, call letters = 3 or 4, (ex: WJW) but as more people wanted license, changed to 4 In the mid-20’s decided to try to organize this…”K” = west of Mississippi R, and “W” = east of Mississippi R, but ones that already existed didn’t have to change (KDKA). First Commercial (non government) Licensed Radio Station. 1922 = first commercial heard on radio, 1923 = first simultaneous broadcast (NY & Boston station) and first transcontinental broadcast station (NY and SF: Hale’s Department Store Station). Primary source of entertainment from mid-1920’s to early- 1950’s

The Major Networks NBC - 1926 CBS - 1929 MBS - 1934 AFR(T)S - 1943 ABC - 1943 Started by RCA (Radio Corporation of America), Westinghouse, and General Electric. Makes sense…they are making and powering radios, so can’t have a technology unless there are things to use it with.  Began solely as a way to advertise…first by the Columbia Phonograph Co. (way to promote records), then later by William Paley, who was trying to promote his family’s cigar business. Started to simply beat out the competition to be the biggest national network (fail). Armed Forces – much of what we have saved from the “golden age” is a result of the government. National programs were often “cut” (aka grooves on acetate) and “pressed” (stamped into vinyl to make a record) and then sent overseas to be played for our troops. NBC had two divisions (red and blue) and blue was sold to Ed Noble (Lifesavers millionaire) for $8 million in 1943…wow.

Popular Programs Comedy Abbott & Costello SciFi Dimension X Amos & Andy Jack Benny Drama Lux Radio Theater Challenge of the Yukon Mystery Lights Out The Man Called X Political/News Shows The World Today FDR’s Fireside Chats SciFi Dimension X The Adventures of Superman Western Gunsmoke Lone Ranger Detective Sherlock Holmes Dragnet Quiz Shows It Pays To Be Ignorant Monitor

Advertising and Radio Show Sponsorship Soap Opera Variety Shows Children’s Shows Box Top Promotions Birth of the Jingle Mr. Clean Alka Seltzer How Advertising Has Changed Cartoons & Cigarettes? Longer Attention Span? A Serious Beer Commercial?

Radio Brings Important Events to the Living Room Hindenburg Explodes – 1937 Pearl Harbor – 1941 D-Day – 1944 FDR Dies – 1945 VE Day – 1945 A Bomb Hiroshima – 1945 VJ Day – 1945 Think: before radio = late editions of newpapers (“Extra! Extra! Read all about it!”) Play clip of Hindenburg. Refer back to FDR’s Pearl Harbor Fireside Chat.

Video Kills the Radio Star Did it?