Research and Planning; Radio as a medium

There was alot of notable inventions and activity that led to the invention of radio; the telegraph and the telegram were probably the most important of these along with physicists and inventors that predicted the existence of radio waves but it wasn’t until 1901 when an Italian inventor, Guglielmo Marconi sent the first radio signal, he sent it over the atlantic after 2 years it was replied to. Then, a further 20 years later in the 1920s, radio started being developed and being used for the purpose of entertainment. It gained huge popularity and reached its peak in the 1940s when it was, before the invention of television in the 1950s one of the biggest entertainment forms.


In 1912 the Titanic sank, while it was in bad times it contacted other ships using wireless. After this, wireless telegraphy using spark-gap transmitters quickly became universal on large ships. The Radio Act of 1912 required all seafaring vessels to maintain 24-hour radio watch and keep in contact with nearby ships and coastal radio stations.

In 1916 the first regular broadcasts on 9XM (WHA) on Wisconsin weather updates, these were delivered in Morse Code.

1919 brought the first clear transmission of human speech on 9XM after voice and music experiments the years before.

In 1920 the regular wireless broadcasts for entertainment started in Argentina by a group called Enrique Telemaco Susini.

In 1922 Radio broadcasts were made in Chelmsford on the AM frequency. The BBC was started with help from the Post Office and other manafacturers. Daily broadcasts also began from a London radio station 2LO.

In 1933 FM Radio was patented; Edwin H. Armstrong invented it. FM uses frequency modulation of the radio wave to minimize static and interference from electrical equipment and the atmosphere, in the audio program.

In the 1950's Radio was weakened as an entertainment form due to the introduction of television, however it was still listened to by many, many that couldn't afford televisions. Since then, radio has differed in popularity at times.

In 1960 Sony introduced their first transistorized radio, small enough to fit in a vest pocket, and able to be powered by a small battery. It was durable, because there were no tubes to burn out. Over the next twenty years, transistors displaced tubes almost completely except for very high power, or very high frequency, uses.

Nowadays radio is mainly listened to by people who are travelling in cars or want to hear some news quickly whilst they are getting ready, not quite like it used to be when people sat down with a view to listening to the radio. Obviously it still happens, mainly amongst the older generations who are less technically advanced.

Although most people in the modern era use radio mainly for music and news some people, generally adults listen to different genres of radio which is important for radio's vital link with television, it acts as a survey if you like. Many radio drama's, thriller's etc start out on the radio because there is less room for fault, it's cheaper to produce and there is less of an audience; when they gain popularity, if they do then they make it to the big screen like Clitheroe Kid, 1957 did and Little Britain, 2003.