Radio In The 1940's

Since the beginning of radio’s “golden age” in the 1940’s, this form of mass media has experienced many changes from different programming, to advertising, to broadcast laws, etc. Beginning when the first radio station, KDKA, signed on in 1920 , it was quickly being picked up as a new emerging form of mass media. By the mid-20’s radios themselves were better and easier to use, and by 1930, were being purchased by the millions. Radio not only survived but thrived through the great depression. This would only be the beginning of its journey of change. Radio, like many other mass media, has continued to evolve to meet the constantly changing wants and needs of society.

The 1940’s were a monumental time for radio. The amount of money spent on radio ads almost doubled from ’40 to ’45, thus surpassing the newspaper industry as the nation’s main mode of advertisement. During World War
By the mid-1950’s, stations focused less on entertainment programs such as soap-operas, detective stories, and comedy shows, and more on music, talk, and news. Radio began giving increased attention to music and the recording industry. Soon, local stations were adopting different formats, which were now ruled by the “clock hour” and developing their own personalities. By the mid 60’s over a dozen music formats of all kinds had been implemented, such as the Top 40. The Top 40 became increasingly popular and young listeners were spending more and more money on music that was being played by their local disc jockey (DJ). Record companies began to depend on DJ’s to play their music as advertisement for artists and new albums. Some companies were even accused of bribing DJ’s to play their music in a controversy referred to as the “Payola”