National Radio Day

August 20th is designated as National Radio Day. No one person can take credit for inventing the radio. Instead, it was a succession of inventions spread across the globe that finally lead to the sound being transmitted and received successfully. The first radio broadcast just for entertainment purposes originated in Massachusetts in 1906. The first commercial radio station, 8MK (now WWJ) began operations in Detroit on August 20, 1920. By 1938, four out of every five homes in the United States had a radio.

The radio became a new way of spreading information from scheduled news reports to presidential addresses and political campaign coverage. It became a new form of entertainment, too. Programming soon included comedies, soap operas, mystery series, drama, quiz shows, talent shows, variety shows, and more. The Golden Age of Radio ran from the early1920s through the 1940s.

Although radio paved the way for the television audience to come, the introduction of television also marked its decline. However, radio is far from being dead. On October 1, 1999, the first satellite broadcast was launched, giving listeners another option and specialized radio. According to the FCC, about 15,000 licensed radio stations were in operation in 2012. So, to celebrate National Radio Day, it will be easy to find a station near you.

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