Good Morning! MCS1450/ BMS1301 Introduction to Broadcasting Ulrich Werner
“History and development of broadcasting, including the influence of broadcasting media in the democratic society.” Course description in the curriculum.
“History and development of broadcasting, including the influence of broadcasting media in the democratic society.” Course description in the curriculum.
Technicalities tothisCourse • Course Web page at http://studyinthailand.org • Course Syllabus • Century of the Self Assignments: – Who are the main protagonists in this episode, what makes them special, and what is their influence on society?
The History of Broadcast Media How it all began …
When it all began • The first message sent by wire (telegraph) from Washington DC to Baltimore in 1884 • The FIRST broadcast message • What is broadcasting? • “… the distribution of audio and/or video signals which transmit programs to an audience. The audience may be the general public or a relatively large sub‐audience, such as children or young adults.”
Broadcasting • Sending one message to a large group or audience • Broadcasting has many inventors • Physicists James Maxwell and Heinrich Hertz demonstrated the existence of electromagnetic radiation, i.e. energy waves that travel through space • Three main inventors of wireless communication: Marconi, Fessenden & DeForest
Guglielmo Marconi • Saw a demonstration of radio waves while in college • Realized the biggest potential use for wireless communication, was in instances where wires were not possible (ships) • Began experimenting with transmitters and receivers • Eventually, he was able to send a radio signal a little over a mile • In December 1901, he sent the first radio telegraph across the Atlantic Ocean
Reginald Fessenden • Marconi was sending Morse code – no one had yet to send voice over radio waves • A new way of generating radio signals had to be developed • To transmit voice or music, a continuous radio wave was needed • While working at General Electric, Fessenden built a high speed alternator that allowed for the continuous wave • Tested on Christmas Eve 1906, Fessenden’s voice was the first on the air – then he played some violin music and read a few passages from the Bible before signing off.
The Crystal Set • In 1910, the most popular way of receiving radio signals was using a crystal set – some minerals were able to pick up radio waves • They were cheap and easy to assemble, but they couldn’t amplify the signals very well
A demonstration of a crystal radio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E99Ngw9Tck4
Lee DeForest • Something that could boost weak signals was needed • Lee DeForest created the Fleming valve – which acted as an amplifier to boost weak radio waves in 1906 • Hooking up a few of these valves could amplify signals millions of times • He named this invention the audion • The audion evolved into the vacuum tube, and was the basis for all radio transmission until the 1950’s, when the transistor replaced it
Boardrooms and Courtrooms • Now that radio has tested as a viable medium, what to do next to make it successful? • Legal issues: Radio’s main use was still ship‐to‐ship and ship‐ to‐shore communication • Many companies interested in radio: Marconi’s British Marconi & American Marconi, General Electric, AT&T and Westinghouse
Who owns what? • Each of these companies owned patents for different types of functions and technologies • No one had patents that covered the entire process of developing transmitters and receivers • Each company went ahead and made them anyway – resulting in patent infringements
WW1 and Radio • All US Navy ships were equipped with radio • In 1917, when the US entered the war, the government took control of all radio operations, in the interest of national security • The Navy assumed responsibility for patent infringement – meaning the various companies could pool resources to improve radio communication
RCA • Commercial interests were opposed to the government’s control over radio after the war was over • Giving the Navy control over radio was never voted on • The stations were still owned by Marconi – a British company • Navy suggests to General Electric they purchase American Marconi and create a new company – called RCA (The Radio Corporation of America)
Patents problems • After the Navy gave up control, patent issues were prevalent once again • RCA entered into a cross‐licensing agreement with GE, AT&T and Westinghouse that enabled all the companies to use each other’s patents • GE and Westinghouse agreed to manufacture radio equipment; RCA would sell it; AT&T would build the transmitters
1920’s • Radio came on the scene to the general public • KDKA in Pittsburgh became the first radio station under Frank Conrad in 1920; he played phonograph records and read from the newspaper • Westinghouse quickly started other stations • In 1922 there were 28 radio stations; in 1923, there were 570 • By the end of the 20’s half of American homes had a radio
Money problems • RCA was making $11 M selling radios, while AT&T made $3 M – prohibited to sell radios according to the post‐war agreement • AT&T sold its radio operations, and was granted a monopoly over wire interconnections that enabled radio networks
Radio Advertising • Radio was expensive to run – a way to make money to keep it afloat was needed • AT&T developed a system where anyone who had a message to deliver would come to the station, give the message, leave money, AT&T sent the message (toll broadcasting) • This was soon the same principle applied to radio advertising!
WEAF • WEAF was the first station to have commercial advertising, August 28, 1922 • Rising operating costs were forcing other stations off the air • Initially, people did not want advertising on the radio • There was even talk in Congress to ban it (but we all know that didn’t happen!) • By 1929, radio advertising was a $20M industry
How networks grew radio • There were many radio stations that needed programs • Many radio programs, and their talent, were located in New York, Chicago, Hollywood. • Smaller cities wanted access to those programs too • Networks were developed • Based on the technology AT&T had to wire stations, networks were possible • Networks shared programs to their affiliates • Affiliates = individual stations, in different cities
RCA and the birth of Networks • David Sarnoff (president of RCA) set up a new company in 1926 to separate the parent company from the broadcast organization • The National Broadcasting Company was born • The “Red” network consisted of stations from AT&T, and the “Blue” network comprised stations originally owned by RCA, Westinghouse and GE • By 1933, NBC had 88 stations in its network
Networks grow • The Columbia Broadcasting System was founded in 1927 by William S. Paley – starting with 16 stations, and by the end of 1933 had 91 stations • Mutual Broadcasting System started in 1934 • Advantages: brought programming to rural areas that previously didn’t have radio programming; contributed to radio’s growth
Early Rules & Regulations • Attempts to regulate the new medium of radio can be traced to 1903 • Wireless Ship Act of 1910: required certain passenger ships to have wireless communication • Titanic disaster: many were saved due to wireless distress signals, however, the signal was interfered with due to unregulated amounts of stations on the air simultaneously • Trivia: one of the first operators to relay the Titanic’s distress call was David Sarnoff – the future president of RCA and champion of Color TV
Early Rules & Regulations • Radio Act of 1912: required stations to be licensed by the Secretary of Commerce – who would assign wavelengths and time limits • Interference was still a big problem: federal control was needed • Radio Act of 1927: radio frequencies could not be owned, but they could be licensed for use; license holders had to operate in the public interest; gov’t censorship was forbidden; creation of the Federal Radio Commission to enforce the new laws • Communications Act of 1934: replaced the FRC with the FCC – the Federal Communications Commission
Radio 1930-1948 • Radio grew at a phenomenal rate, becoming an integral part of American life • $40M spent on radio advertising in 1930; $506M in 1948 • Growth continued despite another war and economic depression • FM broadcasting: invented by Edwin Armstrong, it was publicly demonstrated in 1933 • FM was less prone to static, and could broadcast in stereo • FM did not catch on (at this time) because AM radio was already so successful, RCA was unwilling to invest • FCC ruled NBC was monopolistic ‐ they sold off the Blue Network, which eventually became ABC
Impact • Primary source of home entertainment • Social power: • 1938 Orson Welles produced "War of the Worlds" and caused mass hysteria • Radio took advertising revenue away from newspapers, and news broadcasts eliminated the need for extra editions of newspapers
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