The radio began in 1895 when Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the letter "S" across the English Channel through radio signals. This proved the feasibility of radio communication, which quickly became a popular form of relaying and receiving information. The radio became popular in the United States around 1920. By 1922, there were 600 radio stations in America.
The popularity of the radio only increased as the Great Depression hit. With the stock market crash of 1929, people were incredibly nervous about the security of their jobs. Radios provided a distraction from the hardships of life during this time. It provided a chance for the people to bond together, and often times neighbors would gather together to listen to their favorite radio programs.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt took advantage of the radio to communicate with the American people. Approximately 60 million people tuned in to listen to his first fireside chat on March 12, 1933. Broadcasting over the radio was more effective than other methods of communication. The people felt that Roosevelt was speaking to them individually, which spurred loyalty to the president and the country. People felt a new sense of hope, and they truly believed that Roosevelt would help them recover from the horrors of the Depression.
As the Great Depression worsened, people grew attached to their radios and the easy access to information. Even when homes were foreclosed and furniture was repossessed, families did whatever they could to keep their radios. As written by Irving Settel, "Movie houses closed, night houses languished, and theatrical and theatrical stock companies disappeared, [but] radio boomed. Thousands of families who had purchased much of their household equipment on credit gave up their vacuum cleaners, their cars, their furniture, but kept up payments on their radios."
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma05/macdonald/radiosfx/bg_radio_sfx.html
http://press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/471921.html
http://www.americanradioworks.org/segments/radio-the-internet-of-the-1930s/
I found it interesting that many Americans prioritized their radio payments above other furniture and household items. As we learned in the past several documentaries, the radio united the nation by providing common topics of interest, like sports. Additionally, the radio helped connect the president to the ordinary citizen in America. With more than 40% of American homes having a radio in the 1930's, more people than ever before were all listening to the same things, nationwide. The Great Depression increased the use of the radio, not just because of the fireside chats, but also because of the time that unemployment had created. After searching for work during the day, families would gather around their radio to listen to stories -- a much-needed distraction from reality.
ReplyDeleteAnother article that contributes to the role of the radio in the 1930's: http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/radio-in-the-1930s/
This article made it clear how great of an impact radio had on the American people at this time. It was an innovation that really brought people throughout the country closer together, even in times of major distress. It is so interesting how people chose to keep their radios even when it meant giving up other belongings, perhaps ones that even had sentimental importance. This shows that people were trying to grasp any hope and were willing to let go of the past if it meant they would have something to make them feel a little bit better about the future, or at least distract them for the time being. It was clever and effective of Franklin Delano Roosevelt to use people's fascination with the radio to his advantage, and it was beneficial to not only him but also to Americans, who were comforted by hearing what he had to say. Below is another informative article I found specifically about Roosevelt's Fireside Chats. One of the things that made his talks on the radio feel so personal to many Americans was the way he referred to himself as "I" and the Americans as "you," which felt genuine to many people and made them truly believe he was working to help improve their lives specifically.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.history.com/topics/fireside-chats
This article greatly detailed the importance of the radio to american politics and society as a whole. People were able to spread their messages effectively nation and even worldwide which differs to movements from earlier time periods which would take much longer to spread. Another example of someone who used the radio to spread his message was the "radio priest" Charles Coughlin He eventually commanded 90 million people through his radio sermons. As well as the radio being influential for politicians it created a new type of ambiance at home with live music and movies resonating throughout the house. http://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/28/archives/charles-coughlin-30s-radio-priest-dies-fiery-sermons-stirred-furor.html
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