Broadcast Communication

Module 1 History of Broadcasting

Module Objectives
Upon completion of this module, you should be able to:
Arrange the order of events in the history of broadcasting Identify the main inventors of the technologies that contributed to the development of todays modern broadcasting system Realize the important role of broadcast communication in history.

If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development.
Aristotle

 To look at the history of Broadcasting, or any industry for that matter, is to study the beginnings of both the technology and its impact to peoples lives and eventually to society. As Communication scholars, we should be more concerned about how communication is possible using a particular medium and how what is being communicated impacts society. We will look at the history in this context: the development of broadcasting technology and its impact to society.

 According to Prof. Irving Fang (The Six Information Revolutions):

for an information revolution to succeed, media that will provide new means for communication must be disseminated within societies already undergoing change. Communication technologies by themselves are not enough. The media both aid and are aided by whatever has shaken the existing order Bold words are conditions for an information revolution

 Take the case of the RADIO, it had to go through many thinkers and inventors before people enjoyed the radio we enjoy (or perhaps take for granted?) today. It all started with a theory:
Theory of invisible waves

In 1855, James Clerk Maxwell published his Theory of Invisible Waves which became the basis for the invention of radio.

 That Heinrich Hertz proved 31 years later in 1886.

Electromagneti c waves do exist!

Which later became Guglielmo Marconis basis for his wireless telegraphy.

Signals in the Air

Guglielmo Marconi 1901 founded the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America which later became Radio Corporation of America (RCA) He sent his first wireless radio broadcast in 1902.

But Marconis messages were still not voice messages, they were like morse-code tappings sent over the air.

 Note that there was no sole credit for the invention of radio. Same goes for the development of Television, which built up on the technology of radio. They wanted a radio with pictures. Following are slides that briefly outline the inventions that preceded Television and their inventors.

Television Technology: Beginnings

Literally means seeing at a distance First appeared on the journal, Scientific American in June 1907 Other names considered for TV: Visual wireless, visual radio, electric vision

Television Technology: Beginnings

1884 Paul Gottlieb Nipkow Nipkow Disk 1st major technological discovery to suggest that pictures could travel

Television Technology: Beginnings

1923 Vladimir Zworykin Developed an all-electronic system to transform a visual image into an electrical signal that could travel through air.

Television Technology: Beginnings

1930 Philo Farnsworth Improved Nipkows Mechanical scanning device: Cathode ray, reproduces electronic images more clearly.

 Note that these are the only developments in the technology and we havent tackled their effects on society yet. Over the years, inventors and brave men would step out and come up with something brilliant that either 1) improved the existing technology or 2) used the technology in a different way and affected society. Go to http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3659 for a comprehensive timeline on the invention of radio and television.

 More than the development of the technology, as Communication Arts scholars, we should focus more on how this medium has been used and how it affected lives, this is what well pay attention to in the next slides.

Radio Broadcasting
In Christmas of 1906, Reginald Fessendens voice was the 1st listeners heard as he did the his public transmission of human voice
Also the first radio broadcast of entertainment and music

Radio Broadcasting
In 1916, Frank Conrad started broadcasting songs and his voice via 8XK On November 2, 1920, he started the 1st commercial radio station.

Growth of Radio
1923 Audience of 2M 500 stations 500k sets

1925 2million sets

1926 One house in six had a radio

Early Radio
Technology brought the radio into the parlor Gave multitudes of people a new, inexpensive source of information & entertainment Commercialization of radio gave advertisers access to this audience at home Radio programming: comedy, music, serials, drama & news.

Television Technology: Beginnings

April 30, 1939 NBCs Commercial TV debut 1939 Worlds Fair, NY Pres. Franklin Roosevelt 1st president to appear on TV

Early Television Programming

Like radio with pictures: variety shows, sitcoms, drama, Westerns, detective stories, soap operas and quiz shows

Rise of Television News

November 22, 1963 Assassination of JFK More than 9 out 10 American watched the coverage

1968 Anti-War Demonstrations and Vietnam War

Radio in the TV Era

1936 Edwin Armstrong introduces FM (frequency modulation) radio

1935 Martin Block 1st DJ Licensed recordings launch disc jockeys

Gordon McLendon Introduced format radio -Standardized -programs

Portable Radios

1928 William Lear Car Radio drive-time audiences 6-9 am; 4-7pm Gerald Bartell 1957

Radios New Role

Once the leisure-time reward Now accompanies almost every type of activity Radio as companion Radio survived because it adapted to fill a different need for its audience

 The previous notes gave you a quick run down of the history of Broadcasting. Some points to remember:
A society has to be ready for change, technology cant make it all happen. Broadcast technologies underwent a lot of revisions before it truly made an impact in society. Older technologies adapt to newer technologies as they come.

Quick Test: Arrange the following events chronologically.

Establishment of the drive time audience in radio. Guglielmo Marconi sends the first wireless message. Families watched the Vietnam war from their living rooms. The word television appears on the journal Scientific American.

Ponder on it.
Has radio really lost its popularity because of television? Do you see radio broadcasting totally discontinuing? What is the importance of Frank Conrads 1st radio broadcast from his home? What are the functions of radio in society? What are the functions of TV in society?

See you in class.