1920s Radio Industry

The radio industry has evolved enormously since the 1920s because of such forces as technological advancements, institutional factors, and government regulation and intervention. Although, I believe the audience demand has shaped the formation of the radio industry even more so, as the radio industry specifically reaches out to the needs and wants of its listeners, as it is the public opinion that determines their success.

The radio is vital tool as it connects people while entertaining them and informing them at the same time. In 1896, Guglielmo Marconi developed the first radio transmitter, introducing a tool that would forever change the world. The power of Marconi’s invention was brought to public attention in 1912, with the sinking of the “Titanic”. With the radio, the crew of the ship was not only able to send out calls for help, but, it became an important resource for reporting news about the disaster (Straubhaar 160). Once the public was aware that this device could be used to relay information and connect one another, the radio was soon on high demand, and audience demand began to shape the formation of the radio industry.

Little did Marconi know that this simple box would play such a significant role in the lives of families in the 1920s. Take for example Woody Allen’s film Radio Days, which illustrates the importance of the radio’s influence. In the film, each family member found an escape from their own realities through their favorite radio shows. Each family member used the radio as an escape, but it ironically brought the family together, as they would gather to listen to their radio shows. Families would gather around the radio for nightly entertainment, and radio ownership began to increase dramatically, which in turn led to the increasing of radio stations.The radio became an important tool for music, news, weather reports, politics, and fictional radio programs. The audience demand sparked an evolution for the radio industry in the 1920s