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Chapter 8Chapter 8

Radio: The Hits Keep ComingRadio: The Hits Keep Coming

Chapter OutlineHistoryIndustryControversies

Early Development In 1887, Heinrich Hertz ran an electric current through one coil,

which produced a current in another coil across the room. Scientists determined that radio waves were transmitted across

an electromagnetic spectrum.

When you think of radio what are things that come to mind?

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1896, Italian Inventor Guglielmo Marconi combined▪ Edison’s electric power, ▪ Hertz’s Coil and Morse’s telegraph key ▪ With a grounding system and an antenna of his own design.

Registered his patent in England▪ Set up an international corporation, ▪ Began manufacturing radio equipment to allow ships at sea to

communicate through messages in Morse Code.

The First Broadcasters On November 2, 1920, engineer and radio enthusiast Frank

Conrad announced over Pittsburgh’s KDKA that Warren G. Harding had won the U.S. presidential election.

KCBS in San Francisco, WHA in Madison and WWJ in Detroit all debuted around the same time.

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The Rise of the Networks A broadcast network ▪ A group of interconnected stations that share programming and a

parent company that supplies programming to stations.

Owned and operated stations (O&Os).▪ When networks own and operate some of the local stations that they

provide programming to,

Most stations in a network are network affiliates, ▪ Local stations that are not owned by, but have a contractual

relationship with the network.

▪ What is the Largest Radio Network in the U.S.

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The first radio network was born in 1923 ▪ AT&T connected its New York and Boston stations.

In 1926, RCA’s David Sarnoff formed the first two national radio networks, ▪ NBC Red and NBC Blue, and dominated the industry.

Network radio helped unify the country▪ Provided an experience in which people coast-to-coast were listening to the

same programs at the same time.

What are some radio programs that you listen too▪ Howard Stern, Tom Joyner, Dr. Laura

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Early Programming Radio networks invented

▪ Formula dramas, situation comedies, ▪ Soap operas, game shows, ▪ Musical variety, talk shows, ▪ Broadcast news and sports.

Spectrum scarcity caused a jumble of static as broadcasters interfered with one another.

The Radio Act of 1912, - first law governing radio passed largely in reaction to the Titanic disaster. ▪ Required ships at sea to leave their radio on 24 hours a day and required

federal licensing of all radio transmitters.

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The Radio Act of 1927 Established the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) ▪ Power to limit # of broadcasters, assign frequencies, and revoke the

licenses of broadcasters who did not in comply. Required the broadcaster to operate in the ▪ public interest, convenience, and necessity.

Station’s call letters ▪ Would begin with a W if it was east of the Mississippi River ▪ Or a K if it was west. With few exceptions ▪ What is Cerritos College Radio Call Letters

Communications Act of 1934 ▪ Changed FRC to Federal Communications Commission (FCC)▪ Gained authority over interstate telephone, telegraph and radio

communication.

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The Golden Age of Radio Radio’s golden age lasted from the 1930s until just after

WW II. ▪ Talk shows in the morning, soap operas in the afternoon. ▪ Musical shows featured big bands with singers like Bing Crosby and

Frank Sinatra.▪ Comedy shows featuring▪ Jack Benny, George Burns and Gracie Allen, ▪ Abbott and Costello, Bob Hope more

Radio dramas included, ▪ The Shadow, The Lone Ranger, ▪ The Green Hornet.

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TV News vs Radio News, which would you prefer?▪ Why

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, ▪ 60 million people tuned in to hear President Roosevelt’s

address to Congress.

FDR used frequent “fireside chats” to broadcast encouragement during the war. ▪ Americans felt as if he were in the room with them, like a

friend or neighbor.

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When the drama, comedy and game shows moved to television,▪ Radio needed help in order to survive.

By 1958 the radio industry was using the superior sound of FM to compete with television.

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The Transistor Portable A 2nd development that helped radio compete with TV▪ The transistor, a miniature version of the vacuum tube, which made

radio portable.

First transistor portable radios ▪ Introduced in 1954, and by the 1960s they were cheaper than

conventional vacuum tube radios.

Portable radios were taken to ▪ The beach, the corner hangout, or to the park.

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Format Radio Format radio was the third development that allowed radio to

survive television’s popularity▪ A consistent programming formula that creates a recognizable sound and

personality for a station, ▪ Station owners like formats because they encourage listener loyalty. ▪ Advertisers like them because they enable ads to target audiences with

specific needs and buying habits. Top 40 was one of the most popular formats. Format programming led to the payola scandals of the 1950s▪ When record promoters paid disc jockeys to play certain records.

What are some of your favorite radio shows?▪ What is their format

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Concentration and Fragmentation Today’s 13,750 stations define themselves with increasingly

narrower formats. Clear Channel Communications ▪ Owns 1200 of the largest and most profitable radio stations in the U.S. ▪ Several other companies own hundreds of stations.

Digital Radio Digital radio results in a crisp clear signal Takes up less space▪ Allowing more format choices to be offered.

Digital signals radiate from ▪ Satellites, the Internet, and from local stations.

Webcasting As of 2007, about 10,000 radio stations had broadcast Web sites, ▪ Enabling web surfers to tune into radio anywhere in the world. ▪ Also dozens of Web-only broadcasters, with no over-the-air operations.

Local Digital: HD Radio Local station are also adopting digital radio ▪ Prepares them for the day when high definition or HD radio becomes

popular. According to equipment manufacturers, ▪ HD radio, (which requires an HD receiver)▪ Brings FM-quality sound to AM stations and CD-quality sound to FM

broadcasts.

Does anyone listen to radio online?

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Top Formats by Audience Listening Preference

According to the chart in the text what are the top 5?

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Dayparts Dayparts are how radio divides the day.▪ Morning Drive time: 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. ▪ Midday: 10a.m. to 3 p.m.▪ Afternoon Drive time: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.▪ Evening: 7 p.m. to midnight.▪ Overnight: midnight to 6 a.m.

Stations top personalities like Howard Stern or Don Imus programmed during drive times or “prime time” of radio programming. This audience might also be given more traffic, weather, and news reports

What are the controversial issues with Howard Stern and Don Imus?

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Talk/News Formats Talk radio, had around 170 stations in 1987. By 2007 it had grown to more than 1,300 stations. The format appeals to working and middle-class adults ▪ 35+ who appreciate outspoken opinions of the show’s hosts.

News formats attract a more upscale audience ▪ By providing a formula that listeners can rely on for information.

Any talk radio fans in here?▪ What shows do you listen to?

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The formula never varies at WINS, a popular New York City all-news station:▪ Complete news update every 22 minutes.▪ Time every 3 minutes. ▪ Weather every 5 minutes.▪ Traffic every 10 minutes.▪ Sports at 15 minutes before and after every hour.

▪ What are some radio stations you listen to because of placement of material?

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Public Radio Congress set up National Public Radio in 1970 ▪ To interconnect public, or noncommercial stations ▪ Produce programs for them to use. ▪ Stations get income from listener memberships and corporate

underwriting. Government funding was reduced drastically during the 1980s. ▪ Critics fear that stations will not offer programs that critically examine

donor corporations.

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Station Personnel▪ On-air talent includes talk show hosts, reporters and disc jockeys.▪ The program/music director, determines the station’s playlist, ▪ typically includes three dozen new singles, or “currents.”

▪ A hot current will be placed in “heavy rotation” airing four or five times a day.

Audience▪ Most listeners want a station to be dependable and are loyal to just two or

three stations. Who has 2 or 3 stations that they listen too regularly▪ Which ones are they?

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The Effects of Concentration Critics are concerned that concentration of ownership ▪ May cut down on the number of different voices that are heard on the

important debates of the day. When government rules limited the number of stations a

network could own, listening choices multiplied. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 ▪ Eliminated restrictions and radio outlets are being placed in fewer hands

creating potential conflicts of interest.▪ Disney was once criticized for refusing to allow its Disney-owned ABC

radio networks to air news reports critical of its Disney-owned theme parks.

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Shock Radio Shock Jocks like Howard Stern ▪ Derive humor and ratings by using vulgarity, racism, sexism, cynicism, ▪ Things that will attract amazed listeners. ▪ The FCC has levied fines against several stations that air shock radio.

The fines became so heavy by 2007 that shock radio moved mostly to satellite radio.

Diversity and Censorship Some radical groups avoid censorship by creating pirate radio

stations, which are unlicensed, illegal, low power outlets. ▪ Some pirates regularly move locations to avoid being closed down by the

FCC.

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