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First Radio Signal sent
Marconi, an italian inventor, sent and recieved the first radio signal in 1895. This was the birth of radio as we know it and showed the first signs of the technology. -
first successful transatlantic radiotelegraph message
Marconi recieved the letter "S" from the English Channel that became the first radio signal across the atlantic. This is the beginning of radio communication overseas. -
First Audion tube
Lee De Forest created the idea for the audion tube which was a huge contribution to the creation of the radio and the popularity of it. -
First transpacific radiotelegraph
The first radiotelegraph service linked San Francisco and Hawaii. This is the first time radio traveled over the pacific ocean and one step closer to the world being connected by radio. This was huge, because now we could communicate across this part of the ocean to Hawaii despite it being so far away. -
Speech first communicated across continent
true broadcasting began with the ability of one country to communicate with another through radio. In 1915, speech first transmitted across the continent from New York to San Francisco and across the atlantic from Virginia to the Eiffel tower in Paris. -
First Music Broadcast
the first music broadcast occured in 1917 and opened opportunities for radio to start playing music as well as its radio shows. This is important because eventually radio will become known for just music and today it is what we listen to the radio for. -
First radio station to broadcast music
8xk, renamed to KDKA, was the first radio station to broadcast music. Frank Conrad was the person involved with the historic event. This was and still is important, because after tv came out radio became known for music. -
First Radio Commercial
WEAF aired a 10 minute commercial for an apartment complex that cost $50. This was the first commercial for radio and became a way for radio to make a profit from broadcasting. This is important because it is what kept radio around and we still have it today. -
Televised moving images introduced
Although not yet popular, John Logie Baird first demonstrated televised moving images in 1926 which will lead to the television and the end of the golden era for radio. -
FRC established
FRC established in 1927 and it stopped the popularity of personal radio frequencies that would clutter the radio streams. The FRC organizeed the licensing of transmitters and assigning radio frequencies. -
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Golden Era of Radio
The golden era of radio was short lived, but it prospered with its radio shows that began booming. Families would sit together and listen to the shows and almost everyone had one. This is, until television arrived. -
Invention of FM Transmitter
Major Edwin Armstrong invented the FM transmitter. This made transmitting clearer and easier. FM became known for music and AM for talking. FM has stuck around till today and provides us the clear radio music we hear in our cars. -
TV starts becoming popular
TV was the main enemy of Radio. Advertisers moved to tv to get to audiences and radio got its funding from them. Video truly almost killed the radio star when this occured and they suffered. Radio then began playing more music. -
Top 40 created
The Top 40 was created in 1951 and began ranking music by its popularity. This increased listeners and gave their audiences what they wanted. We still have it today so its influenced radio in a big way. -
Today, radio competes with internet radio
Radio was almost killed by the video star, but now itunes, spotify, pandora, and youtube are looking to take it out. There are many ways to listen to music now and radio can be more of an inconvenience now to people with smartphones. Radio has prevailed for many years and they still aren't done fighting for their spot in the entertainment of the world.
