Chapter Two: Before Broadcasting
Early Foundations of Radio
● Telegraph and Telephone as Precursors:
○ The telegraph (1844) by Samuel Morse laid the groundwork for electronic
communication.
○ The telephone (1876) introduced voice transmission by Alexander Graham Bell.
● Wireless Telegraphy:
○ Guglielmo Marconi developed wireless telegraphy in the 1890s, which paved the way
for radio technology.
○ Early radio transmissions initially focused on point-to-point communication
(ship-to-shore, military uses).
○ Key Innovators:
■ Nikola Tesla and Reginald Fessenden advanced modulation techniques in
early radio technology.
■ Fessenden made the first voice transmission over the radio in 1906.
Development of Radio Technology
● Audion Tube:
○ Lee De Forest's Audion tube (1906) amplified weak radio signals, enabling
long-distance transmission and reception.
○ The Audion tube was a significant step towards the commercialization of radio.
● Early Uses of Radio:
○ Used primarily by the military and shipping industries for communication.
○ Amateur radio enthusiasts, known as 'hams,' also started experimenting with radio,
contributing to the emergence of an early radio hobbyist culture.
Government Regulation
● Radio Act of 1912:
○ After the Titanic disaster, the Radio Act of 1912 was passed, which required
licensing for radio operators and assigned frequencies.
○ The Act marked the start of U.S. government regulation of airwaves, but it was not yet
focused on broadcasting.
Early Foundations of Radio
● Telegraph and Telephone as Precursors:
○ The telegraph (1844) by Samuel Morse laid the groundwork for electronic
communication.
○ The telephone (1876) introduced voice transmission by Alexander Graham Bell.
● Wireless Telegraphy:
○ Guglielmo Marconi developed wireless telegraphy in the 1890s, which paved the way
for radio technology.
○ Early radio transmissions initially focused on point-to-point communication
(ship-to-shore, military uses).
○ Key Innovators:
■ Nikola Tesla and Reginald Fessenden advanced modulation techniques in
early radio technology.
■ Fessenden made the first voice transmission over the radio in 1906.
Development of Radio Technology
● Audion Tube:
○ Lee De Forest's Audion tube (1906) amplified weak radio signals, enabling
long-distance transmission and reception.
○ The Audion tube was a significant step towards the commercialization of radio.
● Early Uses of Radio:
○ Used primarily by the military and shipping industries for communication.
○ Amateur radio enthusiasts, known as 'hams,' also started experimenting with radio,
contributing to the emergence of an early radio hobbyist culture.
Government Regulation
● Radio Act of 1912:
○ After the Titanic disaster, the Radio Act of 1912 was passed, which required
licensing for radio operators and assigned frequencies.
○ The Act marked the start of U.S. government regulation of airwaves, but it was not yet
focused on broadcasting.
