History Broadcasting in the United States

1 history

1.1 beginnings
1.2 commercial development
1.3 developing networks
1.4 1950s , 1960s

history
beginnings

circa 1910 penny postcard depicting fessenden s radio tower @ brant rock, massachusetts.

in 1901 reginald aubrey fessenden made significant step toward possibility of broadcasting when succeeded in superimposing human voice onto continuous hertzian wave. success in experiment created need more advanced equipment, including alternating-current generator large enough produce necessary power carry transmissions. fessenden received backing of t.h. given , hay walker jr. contributed money purchase powerful generator general electric. had installed @ brant rock, ma, , @ 9pm local time on december 24, 1906, began broadcast heard several united fruit company ships @ sea. after introduction, program consisted of following:

a recording of handel s largo on ediphone
fessenden s own live violin performance of o holy night, singing last verse played
a recitation of seasonal passages bible, planned fessenden s wife helen , secretary miss bent; when women suffered mike fright, fessenden read passages

the broadcast christmas greetings , request listeners write him , report on broadcast wherever were. fessenden received letters many of listeners heard him far away west indies.

many individuals continued experiment own methods of broadcasting. example, charles herrold of san jose, california sent out broadcasts april 1909 herrold school electronics institute in downtown san jose, using identification san jose calling, , variety of different call signs united states department of commerce began regulate radio. station first called fn, sjn (probably illegally). 1912, government began requiring radio operators obtain licenses send out signals. herrold received licenses 6xf , 6xe (a mobile transmitter) in 1916. on air daily decade when world war interrupted operations.

the involvement of united states in world war bring changes take broadcasting out of hobbyist’s workshop , on grand stage. united states navy use broadcasting relay messages between ships, airplanes, , shore stations throughout war. result of navy’s demand broadcasting mass production of radio equipment simplified construction , operation requirements readily used common man. receivers westinghouse scr-70 single, self-contained unit required minimal technical ability. following war, these units plentiful , reasonably priced virtually every american own one. wide availability led realization of market included everyone.

commercial development

the formation of broadcasting corporations necessary produce capital needed reach large audience serve broad consumer base. many experimenters created own corporations including fessenden’s “national electric signaling company.” of these corporations however, did not survive long exception of marconi wireless telegraph company of america (american marconi).” company give way radio corporation of america (rca) on november 10, 1919 when american marconi sold off of assets.

to compete rca (which subsidiary of general electric), westinghouse broadcasting entered market, hoping sale of radio sets , publicity. on october 27, 1920 department of commerce granted westinghouse permit broadcast in pittsburgh, pa under call letters kdka. began first commercial broadcasts in united states on november 2, 1920 report results of year s presidential election. used hand-wound phonograph play music on air fill time between returns.

kdka prove successful broadcasting station result of superior westinghouse equipment developed company’s acquisition of armstrong-pupin patents. rather compete westinghouse, general electric (ge), rca, , at&t formed alliance company on june 30, 1921. combining patents owned 4 companies, work improve broadcasting process , increase quality of receivers.

while westinghouse, ge, , rca focused on indirect profits of broadcasting result producing , selling radio receivers general public, at&t focused on finding way of making direct profit broadcasts themselves. created concept of “toll broadcasting” allowed use licensed at&t radio station broadcast message of choosing. customers charged fee based on when wanted purchase time (certain times during day more valuable) , how long wished on air. concept idea of selling blocks of time advertisers fund broadcasts born. first such “radio toll station” wbay (later changed weaf) in new york city , went operation on july 25, 1922.

westinghouse, ge, rca, , at&t had become quite successful, so federal government became interested in dominance of broadcasting world. various members of congress worried concentration of power these companies had, because concerned flow of information. on march 3, 1923 federal trade commission (ftc) asked congress open investigation radio industry find out if violations of anti-trust laws being committed.

upon completion of study entitled: report of federal trade commission on radio industry , ftc filed formal complaint congress westinghouse, ge, rca, , at&t had combined , conspired purpose of, , effect of, restraining competition , creating monopoly in manufacture, purchase , sale in interstate commerce of radio devices...and in domestic , transoceanic communication , broadcasting. congressional hearings on matter begin in may 1924.

meanwhile, disputes between westinghouse, ge, rca, , at&t lead significant shift in power in broadcasting industry. westinghouse, ge, , rca force at&t out of broadcasting altogether , form national broadcasting company (nbc). rca own 50% of nbc while ge , westinghouse own 30% , 20% respectively.

developing networks

the national broadcasting company began regular broadcasting in 1926, telephone links between new york , other eastern cities. nbc became dominant radio network, splitting red , blue networks.

despite power shift, at&t maintained ability share patents westinghouse, ge, , rca. led justice department filing anti-trust suit against 4 companies in may 1930. avoid trial, at&t withdrew patent alliance in 1931 , remaining 3 companies developed own divorcement plan left rca sole owner of nbc.

a federal communications commission decision in 1939 required nbc divest of blue network. decision sustained supreme court in 1943 decision, national broadcasting co. v. united states, established framework scarcity of radio-frequency meant broadcasting subject greater regulation other media. blue network network became american broadcasting company (abc). around 1946, abc, nbc, , cbs began regular television broadcasts. tv network, dumont television network, founded earlier, disbanded in 1956.

1950s , 1960s

television began replace radio chief source of revenue broadcasting networks. although many radio programs continued through decade, including gunsmoke , guiding light, 1960 networks had ceased producing entertainment programs.

as radio stopped producing formal fifteen-minute hourly programs, new format developed. top 40 based on continuous rotation of short pop songs presented disc jockey. famous disc jockeys in era included alan freed, dick clark, don imus , wolfman jack. top 40 playlists theoretically based on record sales; however, record companies began bribe disc jockeys play selected artists, in called payola.

in 1950s, american television networks introduced broadcasts in color. (the federal communications commission approved world s first monochrome-compatible color television standard in december 1953. first network colorcast followed on january 1, 1954, nbc transmitting annual tournament of roses parade in pasadena, calif. on 20 stations across country.) educational television network, national educational television (net), predecessor pbs, founded.