Question
From Print to Electronic
With the invention of the telegraph in 1840's, society moved from the Print Era to the Electronic Era. If you interviewed someone that was old enough to remember to the Golden Age of Radio (1930's-1950's) you may recall them discussing their memories of gathering around the radio. Remember, radio was much more than simply playing music prior to the 1950's. In the United States, the early days of network radio gave Americans a "national identity" and the ability to "share in a common experience."Imagine if you were alive in the 1930's when radio became the new, popular medium. For this discussion, explain to your classmates the advantages that radio had when it emerged on the scene over traditional print media of the early 1900's (books, newspapers, and magazines). How would it have changed your life?
Expert Solution
Radio emerged in the early 1930s and played a critical role in the transition from print to electronic. It was a sign of "national identity" to the Americans as they shared common experiences and information. Thus, early radio had numerous benefits over traditional print media, such as entertainment and mass communication. At the end of 1930, approximately 28 million Americans' owned a radio. As the technology evolved, different radio designs emerged at a lower price. A radio played a critical role in uniting communities by airing global and national news and enlightening people about the happenings, especially during the great depression (Radio in the 1930s | history detectives | PBS n.d). People developed a sense of national identity. Although the traditional print media united the community, it had various restrictions in terms of time and location as the magazines or newspapers had to be acquired physically, unlike the radio, which one could listen to at any time and place (Radio in the 1930s | history detectives | PBS n.d). In addition, radio was a major source of entertainment through music, comedy, and discussions regarding the nation's progress and cultural values. People could turn on their favorite radio station to listen to their favorite programs at a particular time. Although newspapers highlighted the major occurrences in society and nationwide, they lacked a sense of entertainment (Radio in the 1930s | history detectives | PBS n.d). Thus, the early radio provided various benefits to Americans in the early and late 1930s by providing an integrated source of entertainment and uniting communities across the nation by receiving the same information at the same time hence a sense of belonging and national identity.
The early radio had numerous
benefits over traditional print media, such as entertainment and mass
communication. Radio provided an integrated source of entertainment and unity
in communities nationwide, establishing a sense of belonging and national identity.
References
Radio
in the 1930s | history detectives | PBS. (n.d.).pbs.org/opb/historydetectives//feature/radio-in-the-1930s/
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