Improvements in radio mark an important milestone in four centuries of electronic discovery. Radio is now the centerpiece of the family living room and profoundly impacts American life during the hard times of The Great Depression and WWII. Eager home audiences lead to rapid growth and unprecedented influence for the advertising and entertainment industries.

At the peak of its popularity during these dark years, radio is the lifeblood of the country. Radio programs not only entertain and inform, they strengthen bonds between neighbors, communities and nations. Do you think the early inventors ever imagined the world of radio?

The information age is born!

• In 1930, 12 million households across America have a radio. By 1939, 28 million own one.
• Stock market crash and depression put many start-up radio companies out of business. Only a few big ones remain.
• Radio is the centerpiece of the family living room, providing communal entertainment, culture and news.
• Radio has important social impact:
  • Mass media- quick relay of information to the masses
  • Advertising and marketing- Selling commercial airtime for profit.
  • Popular culture - increased public access to entertainment and events.

Key discoveries: