At the beginning of the 20th century, the world experienced an astounding number of technological changes in less than 100 years. Following earlier developments in industry imported by the Brits, the American entrepreneurial spirit had gained momentum, propelling it into a homegrown industrial revolution and ultimately leading the young country into a Gilded Age.
This was followed by a second industrial revolution catalyzed by electrification. Its progenitors were Samuel Morse, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison. When the transmission of radio waves was pioneered by Marconi, radio became the preferred medium of communication to the masses and a central part of American life. Let's delve into how American pop culture looked during the Golden Age of Radio.
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Golden Age Of Radio in the US
Though not all families could afford a radio, programming was extremely popular during the war and the Great Depression. It provided a distraction from troubles, escapist fare, and a feeling of togetherness during hard times. President Roosevelt's "fireside chats" gave the nation a homey yet cohesive connection to current events.
The American Golden Age of Radio - an era that began around 1930 and lasted until approximately 1945, when the advent of television took its top talent from radio's rosters and ensured a newly dominant medium.
Golden Age Of Radio History
In 1899 when Marconi began using Samuel Morse's telegraph technology to broadcast information to great numbers of people, he could hardly have predicted the seismic effect it would have on society. By 1909 he was sending the results of the American Cup back to the home base in New York using said technology.
Ultimately Marconi would become known as the "Father of Radio," but a Massachusetts physicist, Reginald Fessenden, amplified the first radio waves in 1907. Fessenden would later go on to capitalize on the Titanic's demise working on iceberg-detecting technology, but by then the masses were already twiddling their radio dials. The first entertainment programming had already been introduced in 1910 to a populace chomping at the bit for news, escapism, and a sense of community.
Marconi radio receiver, Wikimedia Commons
Golden Age Of Radio Programs
NBC, or the National Broadcasting Corporation, was the first major network in the US, and its style of news delivery broke the mold, whether it was reporting to middle America horrible incidents like the crash of the Hindenburg, the crash of the stock market, or glorious victory in word-record-breaking feats like those of aviators Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.
Two world wars and dire economic conditions meant that people were thirsty for information and wished to be kept informed about current events and developments on the ground. Veterans like Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite were the first celebrity journalists, reliable in their regularity and devotion to the facts. They and their ilk brought the masses news from the war theater abroad, from Wall Street, and from Hollywood.
Facts About The Golden Age Of Radio
By the close of the 1920s, the country was used to a steady diet of regular programming, huddling around the device as a family as if it were a stick of furniture. This model would set the template for later familiar television viewing habits.
Radio play, Wikimedia Commons
The public thrilled to mysteries, soap operas, variety shows, and cliffhangers. No genre was exempt from radio as long as it was pure entertainment. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt held his regular "Fireside Chats" with the nation's listeners, seemingly bringing all citizens together in the technological and cultural zeitgeist.
This list of popular shows can't be beat for sheer escapist family fun:
Popular Characters of the Golden Age of Radio:
- Lone Ranger
- Speed Gibson
- Superman
Celebrities of the Golden Age of Radio:
- Abbott and Costello
- Lucille Ball
- Mel Blanc
Popular Programs of the Golden Age of Radio:
- Grand Ole Opry
- All-Star Western Theatre
- Jack Benny Hour
- Gunsmoke
- Frontier Fighters
- Six Shooter
War of the Worlds
One iconic example of radio programming during the Golden Age of radio was Orson Welles' production of H.G. Wells' classic science fiction novel War of the Worlds. As many listeners did not tune in for the disclaimer that this was only a fictional teleplay, and as its narrative took place in real-time, a mass panic erupted. The panic was caused by people who thought that the action was real and that Earth was really being attacked by little green men. There were even reports of sightings of the critters in gardens and backyards. Of course, these reports were rubbish, but the broadcast remains legendary as an example of media-induced hysteria.
Orson Welles' fateful production of War of the Worlds, Wikimedia Commons
Welles' War of the Worlds, mounted by his Mercury Theater–and the broadcast's resulting hysteria–remain legendary. However, many now concede that this is an urban myth. In fact, Welles' bunch did not even grab a substantial share of listeners that evening–only about 8%. This means that only a small percentage of the American people were actually listening to the show, and an even smaller percentage panicked, rendering the reports of mass hysteria grossly exaggerated. However, the story did make for undeniably good copy, though perhaps the end effect was that American audiences seemed more gullible than they actually were.
End Of Golden Age Of Radio
With the advent of television, the popularity of radio experienced a decline. Television poached some of radio's top writing talent, but not everyone made the cut. Radio in the future would focus on FM programming of pre-recorded rock and irreverent DJs and move away from the type of serial programming popular during the Golden Age. With the coming of satellite radio, though, there was a resurgence in the popularity of serialized programming, teleplays, and talk radio, a precursor to today's podcasts.
Golden Age of Radio - Key takeaways
- The Golden Age of Radio spanned took place from roughly 1930 to about 1945 with the advent of television.
- The Golden Age of Radio provided escapism, current events, and reassurance during World War ll and the Great Depression. People tuned in, for example to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "fireside chats" every evening. Radio gave people a sense of belonging during a difficult time, and the whole family would usually gather around the radio like a piece of furniture in the evening.
- Popular genres included mystery, science fiction, soap operas, and serials.
- Radio lost its foothold with the masses when TV came along, but had a resurgence in popularity years later with the advent of satellite radio and talk radio, the precursor to the modern podcast.
References
- Hillary Brady. The Golden Age of Radio in the US. Digital Public Library of America. 2014
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