Listening to FM in the AM

 

    Before the invention of the television, the radio was the best way to be entertained and informed. In 1894, Guglielmo Marconi created the first radio, he began with short distance broadcasts. Radio became more widespread as the technology continued to improve and more knowledge became available on electromagnetic waves. In 1906, Reginald Fessenden broadcast sent the first long distance transmission of human voice. The first commercial radio station, KDKA, opened and began operating in 1920 in Pennsylvania. This began the radio's golden age. From the 1920s through the 1950s, radio was the main source for entertainment as there was music, dramas, comedies, and sports broadcast over the radio. Radio was also the source of the most immediate and recent news as it was on air all day while the only other source of news was the newspaper that came once a day. In the 1950s, television became popular and decreased the amount of constant listeners to the radio. In saying this, the radio is still prominent as it is the best source of information while in the car or in a location without internet or cell phone coverage. 

    As mentioned earlier, the radio was beneficial to society as it was constantly on air and could report the most recent information when it comes to news. Especially in those times, it was critical for updates in war efforts and in speeches from political leaders such as the fireside chats that FDR gave during the Great Depression. Also, the radio allowed people to be entertained in new ways while being able to spend time with family while crowded around a radio in the living room together. This entertainment factor set up the groundwork for what television would look like in the future.

 

    In the beginning, radio was difficult to hear which hurt its viability as a productive tool. Later, they invented loud speakers which helped with broadcasting. Another issue and concern was the increasing commercial usage. People were concerned for their entertainment as there were increasing commercials and breaks in shows, but people eventually got used to it and today we have constant commercials on the radio and television. Nowadays, a negative aspect of radio is that it can make people distracted, which can be a safety hazard for drivers, which is when most people currently use the radio.  

    The radio is not the most prominent form of communication used today, but it was instrumental in the evolution of our current forms of communication.