This Day in History

Radio Forms A New Mass Communication Tool

The Birth of Radio in America

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On this day in history, in 1924, radio sales went from about 5,000 units to 2,500,000 units. This ushered in, not only the days of radio, but a whole new world of communication. Prior to the invention of radio, communication had been restricted to telegraph, mail and community information sharing.

The popularity of radios and the new business of radio required regulation and in 1927, President Calvin Coolidge signed the Radio Control Act. This five person commission assigned frequencies, rules, regulations and controlled operations of radio stations. Later this commission became the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It was deemed radio space was a very important commodity and having control of the airwaves was integral for the public good. Oversight of content was also highly regulated by the FCC.

As radios started infiltrating the American home, information became more accessible to citizens. Entertainment programing was being developed in comedy, daytime dramas and nighttime family radio dramas. Not only was radio bringing the family together, but also communities, cities and the nation.

For the first time in our country, communication became a shared experience. Essentially the invention of radio and…