Essay about Impact of the Radio in the 20th Century

In the short story by John Cheever called "The Enormous Radio" it begins with Jim and Irene Westcotts appearing like the perfect American family. Cheever describes them as "the kind of people who seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability" (Cheever 1). What is ironic about this story is the Westcotts are far from being the perfect family and the community they try to conform to is just as imperfect as the Westcotts themselves. A way the Westcotts try to live up to their society is by keeping secret the fact that they listen to the radio and attend musical events. This is because these activities were not something members of their community did. For example, Cheever says the "Westcotts differed

take off, evolving into what it is today. Most people soon forgot about listening to the radio, as

Many people bought radios, as they were cheap and effective. The radio was a useful tool for emergencies. If a weather emergency took place, people nearby would be warned hours before it hit due to the radio. It was also important in that the range of radios was limited. That way, the entire world would not know about a small thunderstorm in a small town. However, the reverse could be true. The radio also worked long range, and was important in telling the United States population if war had started, or about other big news, like the Stock Market Crash. The radio was also a very important form of communication in war. World War II was the first war that was a technology based war. The war had soldiers and commanders communicating and forming a strategy on the radio. The radio also sent propaganda to increase production for the war. The radio also had a huge impact on the 1920s because it spread religion, culture, and society news. The radio was the reason that the flapper lifestyle became popular, because it was broadcasted frequently on the radio. It also let people know about the Harlem Renaissance, a Black gathering of music and art, the Red Scare, where America tried to exterminate communism , and new laws such as Prohibition. A hugely important example of the radio was the Scopes Trial. This was a major debate between Scopes and the State, where Scopes broke the law by teaching evolution. Many expressed that the law banning the teaching of evolution

After the First World War, many people were looking forward to good times. The 1920’s presented people with this time of fast-paced fun and adventure. Entertainment was the foremost part of everyday life during the 1920’s. Radio introduced a whole new practice of entertainment to people’s everyday lives. Likewise, through the utilization of the radio, people were able to experience a new medium to entertain themselves. Furthermore, the radio changed the face of society’s culture through its widespread use. In addition, radios provided people with a new, effective and efficient means of communication. Radio was a fundamental aspect in people’s lives during the 1920’s as it provided many people with news and entertainment in their

Also radio stations caused a bunch of people to do crazy things, like flying a airplane nonstop across the atlantic ocean.

In chapter two, Wattenberg discusses television broadcasting and its impact with news networks such as NBC, CBS, and ABC. He quotes a 1972 study by Patterson and McClure in which they believed that although broadcasting allowed for Americans to see the campaign, it did not help teach voters anything of importance (32). TV news has become increasingly directed towards the elderly, with young people elsewhere or watching something else when politics are broadcasted (33). He illustrates this point with an example of the types of commercials aired for medications that while are suited for any age group, they are remedies for maladies or health concerns that older generations experience more than younger ones. Today, there are multitudes of television channels available for specific topics such as sports and music rather than the general topics the original major networks broadcasted, making it easier for young people to avoid the political events that once captivated the attention of Americans in previous generations. One study found that 21% of respondents under 30 years of age learned about the Presidential campaign or candidates from a comedy show instead of from newscasts (40). Although some find information indirectly through entertainment TV, a 2004 survey proved that 7% of respondents who followed the campaign closely enjoyed it and were familiar with facts heavily relied on cable news channels as a source of information, proving that if

“The social fact of television is the glue that holds together and undermines American public life” is completely true, for it reflects our society on how it presents itself. Television was an extension of radio, in that it was created to show a story to the masses.

So what exactly did the radio help pass important information to society? The radio changed the way how people communicated with each other. Instead of depending on each other, they now

In order to understand what information the average citizen in the United States had access to, there needs to be an understanding of how a citizen obtains information. During World War II, there were just three primary mediums to extract information: radio, newspaper, and film. Each of these will be discussed individually below.

With radios, people on the West Coast could listen to the same sporting event that people on the East Coast were listening to. Not only were radios used to broadcast things such as sporting events, they broadcasted very important events, such as the 1920 election, when the radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania announced that Warren G. Harding had won the presidential election. Later on in 1922, Harding became the first president to be give a speech transmitted over the radio. Because of this, the whole political system began to transition and began to resemble what we all see

“In 1913, Edwin Armstrong invented a special circuit that made long-range radio transmission of voice and music practical” (American). This technological advancement made it convenient to use the radio as means of delivering the news. Whether you lived in a rural countryside or in a packed city, you were able to get the news. Able to broadcast weather reports, sports news, and entertainment to thousands of Americans, the radio proved to be an invaluable resource.

The development of 1920s and 1930s media and technology was extremely influential upon the period of time immediately after. Radio played a significant part in the 1920s and 1930s. It boomed during this period, collaborating with the newspapers to deliver news and current events around the world. During the mid-1920s non-profit organisations and universities operated radio stations in America. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was founded on 18th October 1922 and has thus expanded to television and film. The BBC was a success sending transmissions all over Europe. Not only did this lead to the company broadcasting updates about the Second World War but also encouraged individuals to set up their own systems and military communication devices were made. It was not until 1946 that women were on the radio, which was some

The radio is one of the most influential pieces of technology ever invented. From political debates to Taylor Swift’s latest hit, with the help of the radio, society stays informed on a plethora of topics. Freddie Mercury wasn’t lying when he said, “and everything I had to know, I learned it on my radio.” In almost every country in the world, there is at least one radio station used to broadcast news to it’s people. Since the creation of the FM radio, it has been used to reach out to people over a certain area and keep them informed about the society they live in. During the 1930s and the 1940s, the radio played a very important role in history; it was a tool used during World War II by America, Great Britain, and Nazi Germany. By sending

The radio is the oldest use of media for music. It has not lost its importance in spreading music though. Bands today still rely on the radio to help spread their music so people will want to but their albums. For a band to gain an audience and to get people to buy their albums they

Every day, many people tune in to radio news. In Britain alone, every week over 12 million listen to news bulletins from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on five radio networks.