RADIO HISTORY

Here's something about the Radio History... This was our Assignment in Intro. to Broadcasting, I posted this cause I think it might help others taking the same field ^_^

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVES

The term “radio” was used even before Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of radio waves. Originally it is the prefix meaning radiant or radiance hence the radio-activity of the alpha, beta and gamma rays are emitted by decaying atoms. In November 19, 1904, the Electrical Review noted that “radio-telegraphy” must be used into practice. The 1906 Berlin Radiotelegraphic Convention helped them in spreading this term in the United States.

Moreover, the term “broadcasting” – distributing information widely - also started way before Hertz discovered radio waves. The term was already used in newspapers because it already meant – distributing the message to various points – hence one Electrician in London commented that it might be advantageous to shout the message, spreading it to broadcast to receivers in all locations (Monthly Catalogue: United States Public Documents, August, 1913.)

There were a lot of people behind the Radio we know today. Here are some of the inventors who started it all. Heinrich Hertz (1887) discovered the radio waves; he ran electric current through coil that produces the same thing in another coil in the room across. The invention was followed by Gugliemo Marconi’s wireless device (1896) that could send Morse Codes from a transmitter to a receiver. He combined Edison’s electric power, Hertz’s coil and Morse’s telegraph keys. He registered his patent in England and manufactured radio equipment to allow the ships in the sea to communicate through Morse codes.
Years later, an Electrical Engineering Professor Reginald Fessenden (1906) Made the first voice transmission through a fast, continuous-wave generator that broadcasts human voice and music. One year after, Lee de Forest invented a vacuum tube "audion" which made it easier to pick up and amplify radio signals. And then Fessenden together with de Forest, provided the breakthrough which would make radio broadcasting possible. “Prior to Marconi's work several practical attempts had been made to transmit intelligence to a distance by means of electro-magnetic waves without the aid of connecting wires between the sending and the receiving stations…” (The American Monthly Review of Reviews, August, 1904, pages 191-197, Maver). These improvements were made possible through years and already made a great commercial success and valued a lot in navigations most especially in ships.

Radio also made great technical strides during the World War I (1914-1919). The navy took over the radio industry to use it only for military purposes. “The military importance of radio was immediately apparent. In August, 1914, the Belgians had to completely destroy a major international communications station located near Brussels, in order to keep it from falling into the hands of the advancing German army…” (Henry M. De Gallaix, from the November, 1919 Radio Amateur News). Years later, (1918) the Radio Telephones had its success, not only in ships, but also in airplanes. By means of the radio telephone, it was possible for a ground observer to talk to pilots in the air miles away. Commanders of aero squadrons could voice warnings to all their pilots as to the movements of enemy aircraft, and squadron formations of all sorts could be maintained in the air as easily as infantry units on the ground. The wireless telephone messages could be delivered at a distance of several miles. (Telephony, November 23, 1918, page 17, American-Developed Radio Telephone Success in Airplanes).

Two years after the war, Radio went back into business. The RCA - Radio Corporation of America – was a company formed after the war. Its stock was held by AT&T, General Electric and Westinghouse, wherein they become fierce competitors after some time. I became hard for them to envision that broadcasting could make money, but on the year 1920, Frank Conrad, an Engineer who busied himself with radio as hobby, built a radio transmitter that broadcasts recorded music, reporting sport scores and sharing the abilities of his sons. He also announced over Pittsburgh KDKA that Warren G. Harding won the US presidential elections, making KDKA the oldest radio station in the history of radio.

Bringing Radio to Philippines, during the 1920’s an American businessman opened radio stations as a demonstration channel for his electric supply business. The first American who had the test radio broadcast in the country was Mrs. Redgrave and another one is Henry Herman who started the commercial radio broadcasting in the Philippines. He was the businessman who had the first 50-watt station and later, he replaced it with 100-watt station which is KZKZ. The call letters used in the Philippines was “KZ” because it was the one being used in US.

During the 1930’s, radio became the hottest medium for promotion. The first advertisements were done through voice announcements with lively and catchy tunes. The Filipino Radio performers must sound like Americans. And it didn’t take much time for the Filipino local performers to be noticed, so the Localization in radio began. The Philippine Radio became more Filipino.

The Philippine Radio in World War II started in the bombing of Pearl Harbor (1941-1945) and caused significant change in radio programming. The Japanese ordered all radio stations to be closed and left only the KZRH and named it PIAM. There was a time when Japanese and Filipinos both used the radio as a medium, Until the Filipinos heard Gen. Mc Arthur’s Voice of Freedom.

After the WWII, (1940-1960) Philippine Radio grew, and became a more effective medium of entertainment, news dissemination and advertising, 62% of the Filipino Household had them. They also had the country’s own all letters which is DZ or DW for Luzon, DY for Visayas and DX for Mindanao.

Radio had a big part in People Power Revolution (1986). It was responsible for the gathering of millions of Filipinos in EDSA which became a historical event in the country.

II. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS, CONSEQUENCES, PARALLELISM, VALUES

The Society. Radio played great roles in the Society. During the World War I, in the US, Radio became an aid for wounded soldiers. In one article it says “…fifty portable or hospital receiving sets, for use on fifty different beds. By placing one of these sets between two beds and equipping it with two receivers, each receiving set may be made to bring joy and relief to a pair of our wounded fighting men.” (The Wireless Age, April, 1918, pages 590, 593: Wireless Music for Wounded Soldiers. Albert Marple). This was an example that radio isn’t just a device for communication but rather it so happened that it became a device for helping those people who are starting to lose their lives.

It also gives opportunities to others. Just like how Frank Conrad started, he showcased the talents of his sons. Another is an article about a navy man, Richard D. Swanson, who was just trying to demonstrate the transmission of music from a talking machine and he said that although his radiophone set was only capable of transmission within a 45 mile radius, navy operators in New York, 143 miles away, had heard his concert. (Radio Amateur News, November, 1919, page 294: Navy man gives Albany concert by Radiophone.) And not to forget the Filipino talents and radio performers who gives entertainment to the listeners.

Parallelism. They said that history repeats itself. Similarities happened during the WWI and WWII. In WWI, The navy took over the radio and used it only strictly for military purposes. The same thing happened in WWII. Japanese ordered all radio stations to be closed leaving only one station for their own use.
Same thing happened here in our country; “The voice of freedom” was twice heard. The first one came from Gen. McArthur during the World War I and the second one was from Jaime Cardinal Sin which signaled the beginning of revolution.

Values. Radio developed several values that we people have. One thing is concern and giving importance. There was a time during the WWII when the Filipinos brought a short wave transmitter and other radio parts in Corregidor to operate literally an “underground” radio station inside the Malinta tunnel for them not to be arrested by the Japanese soldiers. They did it for the Filipinos to be able to hear Gen. McArthur’s voice of freedom.
Another thing is unity. Millions of Filipinos gathered around EDSA as one, for justice and peace. They had one advocacy that is to end the Martial Law which happened to be much abusive of the Filipino rights.

Consequences. Nothing is perfect as they say, so is radio. There are also disadvantages brought by radio. One thing is about Payola. It is one good example of corruption, wherein companies pay the DJ’s or the radio station itself for them to play their music. It’s a negative thing that actually happened in the radio industry.

III. CONCLUSION

To sum things up, the development of radio is continuous. It doesn’t just stop when it reached the Philippines but rather it influenced a lot. It brought the digital age to the country wherein before, Filipinos only depend on papers, on verbal news and person-to-person transmission of messages. It became easier for the people to communicate and to disseminate information. To record important documents and information that would remain up to the future.

IV. PERSONAL LEARNING

Radio isn’t just a communication device. It is a medium that played great roles in the history. It became part of each and everyone not only here in the Philippines but also in different countries most especially where it started, in the United States. It became part of many historical events in the world. It helped a lot in the society and acted out as one of the most important things in human life. It also signified the start of improving technology, developed the capabilities of different inventors and boosted digital communications and broadcasting.
Radio as a human invention, had its flaws. It can cause negative impacts to people nevertheless it its positive effects has more edge than the negative ones.

V. REFERENCES

A. Websites:
earlyradiohistory.us/ United States Early Radio History, Thomas H. White, Articles and extracts about early radio and related technologies, concentrating on the United States in the period from 1897 to 1927.

oldradio.com/archives/international/philippines.html/ Philippine Section of The Broadcast Archive, Maintained by: Barry Mishkind - The Eclectic Engineer. 2033 S. Augusta Place, Tucson, Arizona 85710.

B. Books:
Introduction to Mass Communication Media Literacy and Culture, Stanley Baran, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2006. Chapter 6: Radio and Sound Recording.

Philippine Mass Communication Today, Crispin Maslog, New Day Publishers, 11 Lands St. 1226, QC., 2007. Chapter 14: Philippine Broadcasting, Chichi Robles and Ramon Tuazon.

Media and Culture: an introduction to Mass Communication, Richard Campbell, Christopher Martin, Bettina Fabos. Bedford, St. Martins. 2006. Chapter 3: Sound Recording and Popular Music, Chapter 4: Popular Radio and Origins of Broadcasting

C. Articles and Extracts:
These articles and extracts were all under earlyradiohistory.us/ United States Early Radio History, which is a compilation of writings about the early radio in USA.
Monthly Catalogue: United States Public Documents, August, 1913

Electrical Review, November 30, 1901, page 670: What Shall We Call It?

Scientific American Supplement, April 20, 1895, page 16087: A Semaphore Telegraph Station
The Yearbook of Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony, 1913, pages 323-326: Wireless Telegraphy and Mercantile Marine

Harper's Weekly Magazine, February 21, 1903, page 298: American Wireless Telegraphy

Telephony, November 23, 1918, page 17: American-Developed Radio Telephone Success in Airplanes

Radiotelegraphy (U.S. Signal Corps), October, 1916, pages 85-86: Radio Apparatus in use in the signal corps.

The Wireless Age, April, 1918, pages 590, 593: Wireless Music For Wounded Soldiers.

The American Monthly Review of Reviews, August, 1904, pages 191-197: Wireless Telegraphy Today, William Maver Jr.

Radio Amateur News, November, 1919, page 294: Navy Man gives Albany Concert by Radiophone.